


Fire Emblem: Tremors of Dracolius (Part I)

by Kenrai



Series: Tremors of Dracolius [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-03 22:35:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 182,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17292698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kenrai/pseuds/Kenrai
Summary: In the continent of Dracolius, old fires are burning from the Kingdom of Naerith as they target their hated enemy Aselia. Selthris Vikeruce, the prince of Aselia and next in line is suddenly put through trials by his lord father in an attempt to prepare him. What awaits Selthris is much more than what he bargained for...





	1. Chapter 1

Fire Emblem: Tremors of Dracolius  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.

Chapter 1: Begin the Begin  
Disturbance in Aselia Arc  
Featured Music: "Opening; History Unveiled" – Fire Emblem 7: The Blazing Sword OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Prologue: Birth of The Holy Knights" – Fire Emblem 4: Genealogy of the Holy War OST. Scene 2 (First & Second Halves).  
"Mighty Obstacle" – YS VI: The Ark of Napishtim OST. Scene 4 (First Half).  
"Victory United" – Fire Emblem 9: Path of Radiance OST. Scene 4 (Second Half).

\--

Thousands of years past, the land of Dracolius was broken into two by a ferocious war between a clan of dragons and the people that inhabited it. A small group of humans, jealous and greedy for the knowledge and power the dragons contained, opted to revolt against them even recruiting some dragons to their cause. The final dragons blessed their remaining allied, defending humans with Holy Blood, Aegir and Divine Weapons to enhance their abilities exponentially; this war was deemed The Continental Divide. The defence force succeeded and a lasting measure of peace was granted to the continent for their heroics. The dragons, their labours completed and fearful of the future, left their allied humans in charge of defence of their Sacred Realm leaving with them their blessings of Holy Blood and Divine Weapons as part of their inheritance.

Many, many years have passed since this horrifying war.

\--

Scene 1

"...ris!"

It sounded far off and he was too tired to care.

"Selthris!" The voice exclaimed this time, much louder. A slam on the table he slept on made the boy gasp and jump upright. Silver eyes widened, they darted across the small classroom before finally resting on his glaring faced tutor, standing over him with a hard-eyed expression on her face. "That's the second time this week!" The old woman snapped again as she turned on her heel, grasping her cane with both hands as she did so. "You'll never succeed your father if all you do is sleep!"

Selthris sighed quietly, more to himself than to anything else visibly tired. "I'm sorry miss," the young Lord apologised, raising his morose expression to face her as he did so. "My father's been pushing me a little-"

"He's been preparing you is what he's been doing!" The teacher screeched suddenly, interrupting him with another hard-eyed glare. Selthris flinched and shrank in his seat as he listened to the woman speak. "If you weren't so lax with everything you do and input some effort perhaps fate would be kinder to you!" She continued to criticise angrily, clearly having done this before. Selthris' silver eyes wandered back down to his small table, cringing as he did so. The old woman seemed to sigh however and opened her mouth to speak again, almost as if to apologise. "Look, Lord Selthris-"

"Selthris." A voice suddenly interrupted, low and commanding. The two turned their gazes toward the open door to find the narrow-eyed, hard frowning Sathryon Vikeruce, King of Aselia.

"Your Majesty." The lecturer addressed properly, even bowing in respect to the intimidating man in the hallway. He simply nodded at her in greeting and turned his silver-eyed gaze towards his son, Selthris.

"F-Father." Selthris managed out, a ghost of a small smile creeping onto his face. Normally he wasn't fond of his father's company but he couldn't have come at a better time right now.

"I'd like to have my son's company if possible; is he free Evelyn?" Sathryon questioned, turning his frown on the woman in the room. Evelyn gave the king a smile before turning on the flinching prince with her usual hard frown she reserved for him.

"Almost, your majesty; we're just finishing up. In fact, this is a fantastic opportunity for you to see how far your son's progressed!" She spoke, her voice raised with her smirk almost as if to suggest her mirth at making the boy look like a fool. Selthris winced but tried not to show his concern. Sathryon gave a tired expression on his face, as if unamused and willing to get the ordeal over with; he strode on into the small classroom, his left hand resting on the sheath at his side as always.

This is gonna hurt, Selthris thought to himself with agonising dread.

"In what year did The Continental Divide take place?" Evelyn demanded, her smile turning to her usual solid frown.

"U-Um…," Selthris began, licking the insides of his lips as he turned his silver eyes downward as if in thought. "I-It was before pre-recorded history but we estimate at sometime between… a thousand or a thousand and-a-half years ago?"

"Correct," Evelyn admitted, a disappointed frown atop her expression. Selthris couldn't help but let out a lightly relieved smile, watching the bored and tired stare of his father. "What is Aegir?"

The silver haired young man widened his similarly coloured eyes as she prodded once more. "A-Aegir…," he repeated, his eyes darting as if in search for an explanation. His eyes widened again as if in recognition and memory, opening his mouth to give form to his thoughts. "Aegir is widely theorised to be the defining life force that every living being this world has," he began, his eyes half-narrowing in his explanation. Evelyn raised her eyebrow as she listened as if expecting more. "It is, and can be used, for many things. Some people use it for meditation to become stronger, some use it in the military and others research it, scholars and scientists." He continued with an unsure light smile across his face. His eyes widened once more in remembrance. "Ah! And it is also called Quintessence."

"Yes… very good," Evelyn huffed, turning her eyes to watch the satisfied look on Sathryon's face. She bowed respectfully as he turned his head to her temporarily before re-facing his son and nodding down at him. "He may leave."

"Excellent," he spoke with a satisfied smile, though light it lit up even Selthris' own mood to see it. "Come son, we have much to discuss."

Selthris gladly got up and left.

2

"I'm impressed," Sathryon opened with as the two walked alongside each other down one of Aselia Castle's many halls. Selthris' eyebrows raised and he turned his eyes upward as if to face him, trying not to reveal too much. "You've certainly kept on top of your theory studies."

"T-Thank you father…" Selthris managed out with a rare, hopeful smile, nodding shakily as he did so.

"I'm curious how your battle prowess has also gone," the patriarch started again, eliciting a wide-eyed frown from the boy, perhaps in surprise. "But that has some reason to do with why I'm here."

"W-What do you mean father?"

"The nearby town of Fernsworth is being attacked by local bandits," Sathryon established, his hard eyes narrowing forward as he shook his head. "How there are still mountain bandits round about these parts in Aselia goddess only knows," he sighed as he turned to face his son with his hard frown. "As the royal family, it's our duty to go protect our people."

"R-Right." Selthris murmured out, blinking up at his tall father.

"Selthris… I'm taking you with me," Sathryon began firmly, his eyes boring into his son's. Selthris' eyes twitched as he listened, fear seemingly seeping into them. "It's to be your first real assignment out on the field."

Selthris attempted to salute as he was previously taught, forcing a hard frown on his face. "Y-Yes father! I swear I'll do all I can to help!" He exclaimed dutifully. Sathryon's hard frown softened up into a tiny smile and he nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"Good, now come; let's get you suited up."

Selthris' heart didn't fail to threaten to burst from his chest even as he set the sheath for his iron sword on right hip, trying to steady his breathing.

For goddess' sake he thought, you're not even on the field yet calm down.

"Lord Selthris," a voice interrupted his thoughts. The silver haired youth turned to find one of his vassals, the ever business-like and frowning George Garcelle. He bowed respectfully as he always seemed to, dressed in full battle wear, his short dirty-blonde coloured hair swept into a side-shed. "Are you ready? Your father is anxious to leave." He asked, ever frowning. Selthris smiled wanly back at the Social Knight before simply nodding in response, allowing the older man to further elaborate. "You must be feeling quite apprehensive about this battle."

"You could say that," Selthris chuckled nervously as he turned to walk alongside him, rubbing the back of his head as he did so. "I'm so nervous; I don't want to disappoint my father."

"I'm sure you won't Lord Selthris," George responded, as quickly as his vassal had. Selthris blinked and turned his silver eyes up to look at the older knight, surprised. "Just fight, to the best of your ability but remember; you can, and should, rely on us." George spoke, his words flowing as easily from his mouth as Selthris listened to them. Selthris couldn't help but smile listening to the young man, emboldened by his words.

"You always know the right thing to say don't you Sir George." He said in response, as more of a fact than a question, his smile still on his face. The Social Knight in question simply smiled back lightly as they left the barracks, suddenly met by three other people. One of them Selthris quickly recognised as his father, Sathryon doled out in his full battle-wear. Next to him stood an older male dressed out in similarly sky blue coloured armour; his simple brown hair was short, neat and tidy perhaps a testament to the man's performance and professionalism. He sported a well-kept moustache and beard that worked well together, resting on his face to complete his look.

"You know Knight Ulric, don't you?" Sathryon began as he turned to face his son, a hard frown ever on his face. Ulric, the older man next to him, turned also to face the standing Selthris and bowed respectfully as his student did before.

"Lord Selthris, good morning," Ulric greeted, the picture perfect of professionalism. "I trust you are confident for today's assignment?" He asked. Almost as if caught by the Paladin's words, Sathryon's eyes flitted over to rest on his son's, awaiting his response. Selthris couldn't help but wince even a little before putting on his smile as he usually did, nodding.

"Yes, Sir Ulric," he commenced in response. "Your teaching has not gone to waste." The little Lord claimed with an appreciative smile. Ulric put on a smaller smile of his own in response.

"Better make sure your Aegir is up and runnin' kid," a voice interrupted; they turned to find the young blonde Kay Garcelle grinning down at him, in her usual show of careless exuberance. "Don't want it tapped out before you go through those reserves, know what I'm sayin'?" The young woman laughed good naturedly as she leant on her mentor Ulric's shoulder. Selthris couldn't help but chuckle lowly and smile in response whereas Sathryon and Ulric both turned to her with a hard-edged frown on their faces.

"Kay how many times do I have to tell you…," Ulric started with a sigh, using one of his free hands to pinch the skin between his eyes in a show of exhaustion. "He is addressed 'Lord Selthris'. Please try to be more respectful."

"Sorry sensei," Kay chuckled joining her hands together in an apologetic gesture, bowing as her colleagues before her. She gave the smiling Selthris a wink before turning her grin on everyone else. "So, is everyone ready or what? I'm getting' aches just standin' here!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Kay…," George began in a sigh, much like his mentor's. "You really should learn to settle-"

"All right; that's enough, all of you," Sathryon interrupted rudely but with a firm voice and hard frown on his face. Everyone knew immediately to adorn a serious composure when the family head spoke. "You've all already been filled in more or less about the situation; Fernsworth has become surrounded by a clan of mountain bandits. They shouldn't have much more than savages and brutes to fight with so we should be fine but just as always, stay true to your teachings and be careful regardless. Any questions?" The Lord Knight asked, his eyes flitting over each member. When they simply stared back at him, awaiting his next orders he simply frowned. "No? Then let's move out!"

3

"So, this is it…" Selthris began, talking more to himself than to anyone else. He couldn't help the butterflies poking around in his stomach, almost as if mercilessly teasing him. He thought he was completely ready for this but even after all his theory and practical practice he still found himself extremely nervous and wanting. Kay seemed to notice him worrying and smiled in his direction as they all approached the small town.

"Don't worry so much; we're all here for you," she began with a chuckle, trying to set the young boy at ease. He raised his head and smiled back up at her wanly however when George and Ulric both shot her a sudden glare she winced before grinning and looking back down at the young Lord. "Lord Selthris." She added, eliciting an approving nod from the watching two.

"All right… that's them," Sathryon began as they approached, sitting atop his horse as he glared at the scruffy, beefy figures dotted around the vandalised town. His eyes flitted over between each one, seemingly examining them. "They don't look too tough… however…" He began again as he narrowed his eyes at the number of figures.

"We must exercise caution," Ulric spoke up from his own horse, turning with a hard frown. "Yes, Lord?" He asked, almost as if for confirmation. Sathryon opted only to glare at the many bandits as he nodded in acceptance.

"Remember Lord Selthris," George said as he tore his eyes away from the looming threat of the bandits. "Rely on us; we are your vassals." The Social Knight expressed firmly, eyes boring into the young Lord. Selthris blinked up at him before smiling in defeat, nodding. "Do you need a refresher?"

"R-Refresher?" Selthris blinked, curious.

"Come on, you know!" Kay interrupted with one of her usual happy-go-lucky grins. "The weapon triangle!"

"Oh!" Selthris exclaimed, surprised. He smiled lightly in recognition. "Axes beat lances, lances beat swords and swords beat axes… right?"

"That's about the gist of it." George smiled back, nodding in acceptance.

"All right, Ulric, you and I will begin the charge and mop up the bandits at the front, targeting the homes." Sathryon commenced, his voice deep and commanding. Ulric nodded, a hard frown on his face.

"Yes, Lord Sathryon."

"Kay, George, I want you both to support Selthris," Sathryon began again as he turned to face the two Social Knights. "Make sure he is well supported."

"Yes milord." George agreed in his usual calm and collected manner, frowning as he did so.

"You got it boss!" Kay exclaimed excitedly, saluting the frowning Lord Knight with a grin on her face.

"Hrm…," Sathryon murmured once, shutting his eyes temporarily before turning his head back to the enemies in front of him. "Vikeruce Militia, move out!"

\--

Sathryon and Ulric both began by taking on two axe brandishing bandits at a time; easily avoiding their swings by manoeuvring their horses together and coming down on the bandits with critical strike attacks, easily felling them. Selthris gasped as he watched them; mesmerised by their power and experience.

He couldn't imagine being anywhere near that strong.

"Lord Selthris!" George's urgent call exclaimed, forcing Selthris out of his own little world. Thanks to that he caught it just in time; one of the gangsters rushed at him and leapt, bringing his looming axe downward. Selthris gasped again and back stepped clumsily, almost tripping behind himself. George and Kay both supported the young Lord as they promised and brought their swords down to counter the glowering and growling bandit.

"Damn…," the Brigand muttered once before licking his lips as he laid eyes on the wide eyed Selthris. "Was fresh meat that; why'd you idiots have to go spoil that?" He demanded angrily and quietly.

"Dog…," George muttered in response, eyes glaring down at the reprobate. "We wouldn't let you within two seconds of our Lord."

"Must be nice havin' blueblood huh…," the Brigand chuckled humourlessly as he swiped his axe at the two Social Knights; they easily defended against him, allowing him to skid backwards in recovery. "How about I show him what it's like to be a regular guy?" He questioned as he licked his lips hungrily, a hard and disturbing frown adorned on his dark expression.

"If you can get through us… maybe." Kay couldn't help but grin as she watched the Brigand, confidence flowing through her words.

Selthris' heart pounded like a machine, his adrenaline through the roof; all he could think about was how lucky he was that Kay and George had just saved his life. He couldn't help but remember the words of his best friend for some reason as he had locked eyes with the bandit.

"Remember to stay alert when you're out there! And don't go relyin' on yourself too heavily!"

He couldn't help but smile as he thought of Leo; he wished he were here.

As if to mock his very thoughts however, a second Brigand had seemingly slipped through Sathryon and Ulric's cracks; he rushed toward the thoughtful Selthris. The Lord only just noticed at the corner of his eye and, thankful for whatever luck was still on his side, he back stepped once more and put on a hard, toothy frown as he unsheathed his iron sword to block the bandit's own weapon, his iron axe.

Selthris grunted under the effort of defence as he stood just below the intimidating form of the grinning bandit. "What's wrong, little man?" He exclaimed above the din of the swords and axes clashing in the background. "Little lord like you ain't suited for this! Why don'tcha go run for mommy?" He laughed down at the young boy. Although initially intimidated by the imposing man, a part of what he was belligerently saying affected something in him; Selthris growled as he pushed the surprised bandit back with a swipe of his sword, sending him skidding backward.

"I am not about to run away now!" The young silver haired Lord exclaimed in response, a hard frown to his face as he affixed himself into a battle stance, taught by his father. "I will…," he began, perhaps uncertainly; his silver eyes narrowed with contrasting defiance however as he twirled the iron sword in his hands. "I will give you a sound thrashing!" He exclaimed finally. The Brigand stared incredulously at the youth, perhaps shocked at the words he used before finally bursting out laughing.

"Pathetic!" The man laughed derisively at the boy, eliciting a hard-eyed glare from him in response. "Where is the challenge?!" He exclaimed with another laugh, pointing at the Lord insultingly.

"Yo, little boss!"

Selthris blinked, quickly turning his eyes to find the approaching Kay, her eyes widened as she watched between the pair. The Brigand seemed to notice Selthris' worried expression and grinned before turning to rush for the unprepared Social Knight. Selthris' silver eyes shot wide open and he gasped before charging forward, seemingly in an attempt to stop the man. He clumsily wedged his iron sword in between the two; although he stretched to achieve it the Brigand let out an annoyed yell of effort as he crashed his iron axe against Selthris' sword, sending it spinning across the ground from the sudden jarring.

"Fuck you, kid!" The bandit yelled angrily, his eyes snapping over to the gasping and tired Selthris. "You're next!" He proclaimed before rising up his iron axe; Selthris' silver eyes were instantly drawn up to the imposing shadow of his incoming end, unable to stop it of his own accord. Thankfully, however, Kay's own iron sword easily defended and parried the incoming clumsy swing. George followed up his sibling's defence with a counterattack, rushing in and stabbing the yelling bandit in his lower torso. The dying Brigand backed away a few painful steps before widening his eyes as he coughed up blood, dropping his axe and gripping at his wound. He collapsed in his growing pain and dropped face up with a final, lingering growl.

"Lord Selthris… thank Holares…" George whispered as he sighed aloud. "I am to blame for this."

Selthris tore his shock eyed gaze away from the death he had just witnessed to raise his eyes up to face his vassal, shaking his head and smiling. "N-No, you saved my-"

"Dammit little boss!" Kay exclaimed, clearly irked by the Lord's behaviour. "Why'd you have to go and do that for?! We're supposed to be protecting you, remember?" The disgruntled Social Knight claimed, her long blonde fringe falling across her eyes as she looked down at the little Lord disapprovingly. Selthris rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly, avoiding her eyesight as he did so.

"I know, I'm so-"

"Kay," George spoke up and turned to his older sister with a frown. She turned to face him with her own curious frown and he opened his mouth to continue. "While I agree with you largely, you still put Lord Selthris into a bad position." He claimed. Kay's eyes widened as she realised what he was referring to.

"But that's-"

"If you hadn't been so reckless in your pursuit then perhaps Lord Selthris wouldn't have felt the need to help defend you," he explained briefly, narrowing his eyes at the older Social Knight. She rolled her own eyes at him before adorning a miffed expression and turning away, opting to say nothing in response. Selthris couldn't help but smile at the pair. "And Lord Selthris," the young man continued as he turned his frown on the surprised expressed Selthris. "Again, I shouldn't have to remind you; we exist to serve you not the other way around. Please do not needlessly put yourself in danger to protect us." He pleaded, clearly unable to truly lecture the boy; just advice. Regardless however it was said, Selthris understood and frowned sadly, nodding.

"I'm sorry." He apologised.

"Aw don't be," Kay grinned, ever the cheerful one, seemingly already forgetting the chewing out she received earlier. "Hey, it was sweet of you; I appreciate it." She grinned down at him, eliciting a hesitant smile in response from the silver haired youth.

"It looks as if Lord Sathryon and Sir Ulric have cleared out the town," George spoke up as he turned his frown on the town next to him. Kay and Selthris both turned also to face it and found the two mounted knights in question approaching the main building, seemingly inhabited by a lone bandit. When the two knights ahead of them turned to face their allies Selthris, Kay and George took it as a sign to meet up at the top. "Come; it seems Lord Vikeruce would like us to join him." George only spoke, narrowing his eyes forward. Selthris' eyes darted between the two forms of his father and Ulric as well as the cornered bandit, a hard glare on his face.

A scared feeling crept up in his stomach as he approached.

"Selthris," Sathryon began as he spied his frowning son approaching, iron sword in hand. "I trust it went well?"

"As well as could be boss!" Kay grinned, saluting the man off as she usually done. Sathryon gave her a hard glare and turned his attention back down to his son. Selthris couldn't help but force a light smile, rubbing the back of his head.

"Thanks to George and Kay it did, father." He admitted, a kind of apologetic smile to his expression. Sathryon looked unsatisfied and seemed to sigh through his nose before gesturing towards the cornered Brigand. Selthris' silver eyes widened before he traced the man's meaning and quickly worked it out.

No, he couldn't.

"Lord Selthris, your father would like to see how far your training has come," Ulric requested, his eyes narrowing forward at the silver haired boy in question. Selthris' panicked eyes darted between the veteran Paladin and his glaring father, fear quickly overtaking his mind. "He would like for you to engage in single combat with the last remaining brigand."

I knew it, he thought. Selthris gulped a load of saliva nervously and simply nodded, sweat beginning to trickle from his forehead purely from the stress.

He was hoping to avoid this but whatever his father said goes.

Have to make father proud.

As Selthris approached the glaring, cornered, axe wielding bandit he could barely stop the siren of his heart pounding from his chest. Kay and George offered words of support but they sounded far off, like they were in the distance somehow.

Right now, it was him, his father and the bandit.

"Y'honestly think I'm finished? Well, do ya?!" The angry bandit screamed forward, perhaps the stress getting to him; Selthris understood it all too well. "Come on kid; you'll be my first!" The man exclaimed, using his free hand to pull forward with a scowl adorned on his face.

Selthris tried to still the harsh beating of his heart and affixed himself into a battle stance.

4

Attempting to use his speed to his advantage, Selthris gasped as he back stepped once more to avoid the yelling bandit's leaping diagonal swing of his steel axe. Knowing he was unable to continue simply evading the wild man's attacks, Selthris raised up his iron sword to block against the screaming Brigand's vertical slash. With both hands on their blades, they pushed against each other and Selthris cringed under the strength his opponent possessed.

It wasn't looking good.

"This the best… you guys from Aselia… got…?!" The bandit chuckled with a low grin on his face as he stood imposingly over the little Lord. "I seen better kids!" He continued to laugh derisively at the youth. Selthris wanted to feel angry at the man's words but he couldn't really disprove his words either. As if adding to his concern, the brigand tore through his defence, sending his iron sword clattering to the ground. Selthris grunted and gasped, eyes widened to find the laughing bandit smashing a roundhouse kick into his upper torso, sending him tumbling to the ground. Almost immediately Selthris felt the judging, hard-eyed glower of his father watching him from above; instinctively his eyes rose to meet his and he quickly tore them away as he forced himself back up to his feet.

I'm sorry father, I swear I'll do better he thought.

Just don't look at me like that.

Please.

With a renewed resolve in his heart, Selthris reached into his second scabbard to pull a rapier eyes narrowed at his opponent. The Brigand merely chuckled at him, head held lowly as he twirled his steel axe around his right hand.

"If everyone else in yer army is as weak as you are I might even live today." The bandit ventured to say with a laughing smirk adorned on his expression. Selthris put on a hard expression of his own in some attempt to counteract the man's words regardless of the overwhelming fear that threatened to damage his position.

Don't let it overtake you.

Use your Aegir, he thought.

Selthris pressed forward and let out an effort filled yell as he stretched his arm out, stabbing the blade forward. The Brigand grinned and slammed his steel axe down hard on the rapier, sending the grunting Selthris stumbling forward. The bandit laughed once again as he swung his body around in an imposing horizontal slash attack, threatening to overtake his opponent with a decapitation technique. With speed and agility Selthris did not know he had, he ducked the dull swing before spinning around in place and slamming the hilt of his rapier into the wide-eyed Brigand's lower torso, sending him spinning and yelling backwards against the ground. Urged on by his own technique, Selthris growled under his breath as he gave pursuit, quickly noticing his opponent scrambling to his feet.

He focused the Aegir at the point of his feet to leap up and come down on the shock expressed bandit, transferring his art to his sword and arms as he came down on the man. The bandit yelled, seemingly in pure anger as he exchanged his glare with the descending Selthris. Eventually however he landed and stabbed his rapier forward; the larger man blocked the strike holding his steel axe diagonally. Selthris followed up his attack as he landed by spinning around with a roundhouse kick, catching the bandit's right arm as he did so, sending him staggering backward with an angry curse; the Brigand raised up his sore right arm and shook it, presumably to rid himself of the pain. Selthris' silver eyes widened as he leapt forward in pursuit, his speed increased with use of his Quintessence.

"Aegir Art…," Selthris first thought to himself, eyes shutting temporarily as his energy focused in his left arm and foot. His eyes suddenly shot open as he crashed his fist into the bewildered bandit's lower torso. "Lightning Style!" He continued, a hard scowl of effort on his face before spinning around and roundhouse kicking the man across his centre, coated in light electricity. "Distortion Kick!" Selthris yelled, sending the Brigand tumbling and skidding across the ground. With a gasp of effort, Selthris narrowed his eyes forward at his opponent ahead of him, dropping to one knee from the expulsion of his own strength.

"Good!" Sathryon's deep voice boomed from behind, forcing the narrow eyed Selthris out of his own world. The Lord quickly snapped his head 'round to find the Lord Knight smiling down lightly at him, a prideful look in his silver eye.

Somehow Selthris felt worse after this than the look he was given earlier.

He almost felt like he didn't deserve this praise.

"Now finish him."

"W-Wha-?" Selthris gasped, eyes blinking at the Lord Knight's words. Sathryon lost his warm smile and regained his old hard frown.

"You must finish him Selthris," the Lord Knight spoke, his words hanging heavy on the wide-eyed Selthris. "He is clearly not willing to reform; death is the only answer."

"B-But I-"

Sathryon's silver eyes slowly shut as he sighed in a long, drawn out expression, seemingly as if to carry even more weight than it normally would. Selthris couldn't help but lower his head, ashamed as his father rode on by and stuck the tired Brigand with his steel sword, ending the axe brandishing bandit's life.

\--

"Huzzah!" Kay exclaimed, cutting through the silence like a hot knife through butter. The group turned to face her and she cringed lightly, almost taking a step back with her horse as they did so. "What?" She asked, shrugging. "I thought it'd be nice to celebrate after a win."

"For once, I agree," Ulric spoke up in reply, a rare smile atop his expression. "Well done everyone. Milord you performed exceptionally as always," the veteran Paladin claimed as he bowed respectfully to the hard frowning Sathryon; the Lord Knight seemed to not be paying any attention and pulled his steel sword from the bandit's breast with an effort filled grunt. "Kay, George I am proud of you both today; as far as I saw I have no complaints," he continued as he turned to smile and nod his head in respect to the two Social Knights he taught. Kay grinned and saluted her commanding officer off whereas her modest brother instead nodded in response, a grateful smile to his expression. "Lord Selthris," he began again, catching the wide-eyed Lord's attention from the ground. "You did well today for your first assignment; well done." He complimented with a smile on his face. Selthris couldn't help but smile lightly despite his earlier shame.

"It could have been better," Sathryon interrupted, an annoyed tone to his voice as he turned his horse to clop towards them. As his silver eyes towered down over his frowning son's he narrowed them disappointingly. "You must grow stronger Selthris."

"Y-Yes father." Selthris murmured, lowering his head in his previous sadness.

"Come now Lord Sathryon," Ulric dared to disagree with, eliciting a surprised and angry frown from the Lord Knight in question. "It was his first mission after all and he performed exceptionally well considering."

"Yeah, he did great!" Kay agreed with her mentor, grinning as she leapt off her horse and stuck her hands on the embarrassed boy's shoulders.

"I also think Lord Selthris showed some surprising potential today," George offered with a smile as he turned to face the blinking boy in question. "It was uplifting to witness." He claimed and Selthris couldn't help but lower his head in an embarrassed fashion, smiling again as he did so.

They were much too kind.

"Hrm," Sathryon began, his stern expression softening a little as he turned to face the similarly frowning Selthris. "Yes I… suppose so," he continued softly, his eyes watching the boy quietly eliciting a shocked blink from the young Lord. "Well done Selthris." The Lord Knight finally complimented.

"F-Father…" The silver haired youth gasped, unable to believe the praise coming from his father's lips.

"That's great, well done little guy; you got praise from the boss!" Kay exclaimed, shattering Selthris' surprise and shock, bringing him back down to earth.

"Y-Yes…" He merely gasped out in a light laugh, still unsure as to how to react.

"What now Lord Vikeruce?" George spoke up, his eyes narrowing with his usual business-like frown. The Lord Knight turned to face him with a hard frown of his own before opening his mouth to speak.

"Now we return to Aselia's capital; the deed is done," Sathryon responded as he passed the Social Knight with a shut eyed frown before re-opening his eyes. "Stay alert as we do however; never know when we may be attacked."

"Of course, milord." Ulric agreed, bowing his head in respect.

As Selthris followed the retreating militia he couldn't help but remember how it felt receiving praise for the very first time from his father. It felt unnatural, strange and unreal. He chuckled, his eyes shutting as he followed. All that time looking for it and now he didn't know how to respond.

Figures.


	2. A Duel Like No Other

Chapter 2: A Duel Like No Other; Aselia and Naerith Clash!  
Disturbance in Aselia Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "March Forward!" – Fire Emblem 9: Path of Radiance OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"His Father's Son" – Fire Emblem 9: Path of Radiance OST. Scene 2 (First Half).  
"Under the Moonlight" – The Legend of Heroes 6: Trails in the Sky OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).  
"The Enemy Approaches!" – Fire Emblem 9: The Path of Radiance OST. Scene 3 (First Half).  
"Eternal Bond"; Sathryon's Theme – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).  
"Battle of Pride (Short Ver.)" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Scene 5 (Second Half).  
"Battle of Pride" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Scene 6 (First Half).

\--

The initial assignment is a success!

Sathryon Vikeruce leads a small regiment of army regulars and brings along his son to bolster the boy's experience; they go on to free the town of Fernsworth being attacked by mountain bandits. Although Sathryon expresses initial disappointment in his son's progress and choices during the deciding bout, his vassals speak in favour of the boy further assisting his vision for his son.

Naerith, Aselia's neighbour however, is less than pleased with Aselia's growth and opts to finally make a move. It is only when returning home do Selthris, Sathryon and the militia realise they have been pulled into a trap…

\--

Scene 1

"So, they took the bait?" A large man's voice echoed from within the throne room, his voice bouncing from the walls. A smaller figure walked forward, kneeling in front of him. He wore a long ebony and crimson coloured battle tunic of some kind; a sword hanging on his back. His most distinguishing feature was the bright white mask he wore, completely covering his face; it had a ring-like pattern that covered the whole thing.

"Yes Sire," the masked man claimed, raising his head to look at his king. "The Vikeruce Militia has been led out with their leading force; we made the right choice in paying those bandits."

"Good," the chuckling king smirked from his throne. His fur coat shook lightly as he chuckled. "We should ride this momentum and continue with the initial plan."

"But, Sire… if we do that…"

"It will be fine," the king smirked, again confidently as he lay back in his chair. "The events are following just as you said they would. You worry too much," he continued, eliciting the masked man to lower his head, seemingly frowning behind his disguise. "By the way…"

"Yes?"

"How do you like their chances?" The king spoke, raising a curious eyebrow as he did so. "You know them both, don't you?"

Almost as if knowing exactly who he was referring to, the masked man raised up his head and nodded once. "Sathryon is the only one we need to worry about," the disguised warrior claimed confidently. "The son is nothing but a pale imitation of the father. He will never be ready to take command or, if he is, it is a long while away."

"What is his name?"

The masked man's eyes seemed to twitch behind his mask before he finally opened his mouth to respond. "Selthris."

"Selthris Vikeruce," the king murmured, tapping the armrests of the throne he sat in. His head moved skyward as if in thought. "And yet if you are correct in how you predict things will go…"

"Yes," the masked man interrupted, perhaps annoyed. "He may become stronger."

"What a day that will be…," the king chuckled, lowering his head and shutting his eyes in thought. "To fight against the Wheel is truly a fool's pursuit and yet, if he succeeds, would be an event to shake the very universe's foundation." He continued with a grin on his face, his eyes narrowing forward hungrily, as if looking forward to the possibility. Although the masked man chose to stay silent as he lay knelt listening, the king turned his eyes and frowned down at him. "You know what you must do until then?" He questioned warily.

The masked man simply nodded.

The king's frown quickly upturned into another smirk. "Excellent," he began again, his unnatural confidence showing once more. "I'm very curious as to how things will go if we support fighting against the tide," the man grinned joining his fingers together in thought. His eyes sparkled as he continued, his voice echoing in the large chamber. "Well what about you, Selthris Vikeruce? Can you fight against the Wheel of Fate?"

2

"Once we return home I'm sure we can- Lord Sathryon?" Ulric stopped mid-speech, blinking as he turned to face the pre-occupied Lord Knight in question.

"Hm?" Sathryon began, his attention finally received. "What were you saying Ulric?"

Although Ulric stared for a moment he left the matter where it was and continued regardless. "I was just saying we should be wary Lord Sathryon."

"Why is that?"

"I have a bad feeling; those bandits didn't seem the everyday type."

"What are you talking about?" The Lord Knight requested as he blinked several times, shaking his head seemingly in annoyance over the seemingly small matter.

"I believe we may have been set up your majesty," the Paladin admitted as he nodded, his eyes shutting temporarily. Sathryon raised his silver eyebrows in surprise. "The scene is too easily organised and…"

"And…?"

"A lot of it is just my own intuition… sire."

Sathryon lowered his eyes as they all continued the march back to Aselia, fresh from their victory at Fernsworth over the aforementioned brigand attack. "It's not been wrong before; of this much I'm certain," Sathryon began as he murmured in thought, raising his fingers to rest on his chin before concisely shaking his head. "However, it is simply too soon to tell Ulric. I don't believe there would be much reason to set us up in the first place. Let's lay the matter down and see what comes of it, hm?" The confident Lord Knight claimed as he turned his head in the Paladin's direction before facing forward once again. As he urged his horse forward, Ulric's ever loyal frown did not waver and he bowed respectfully atop his own steed.

"Of course, sire."

"I sure hope they got my favourite brewin' back home," Kay wondered aloud as she turned her eyes skyward, seemingly in thought. She couldn't help but grin as she seemed deep in thought. "So hungry."

"Duty first Kay, remember," George offered in as he frowned over with a nod at his own words. "You never know when we're going to be attacked." He claimed, his words flowing as fluently as they usually did. His sibling however did not have a similar attitude; indeed, instead she mocked her dutiful younger brother by opening her mouth and miming the words he used, a ridiculous expression on her face. George simply stared at her in annoyance, sighing through his nose as he did so. Although previously deep in thought, the watching Selthris couldn't help but chuckle before regaining his frown, turning his silver eyes downward in thought.

His mind couldn't help but wander back to his confrontation with the last remaining bandit. He cringed when he remembered the hard, disappointed look his father gave him earlier; it shook him to his core.

Just as it always did.

"I wish I was so much stronger than this." The little Lord thought to himself lamentably, sighing openly without thinking. Catching the attention of the smiling Kay, she leant down and grabbed his own attention; the Lord gasped as he snapped his head up to meet hers.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" She demanded, a childish grin glowing from her face.

"Kay…" George groaned once more pinching the skin between his eyes in a show of his frustration however, as always, it did little to dissuade the ever-active Social Knight.

"J-Just… thinking." Selthris responded with a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his head in a show of his hesitancy.

"Come on little man, ya gotta give me more 'n that!" The older blonde grinned invitingly. Selthris smiled, though sadly, and lowered his head.

"It's… about earlier," he finally admitted, successfully catching the attention of the frowning George. "I'm… disappointed in myself." The silver haired prince admitted, his eyes shutting in a sign of shame.

"Whatever for Lord Selthris?" George offered, raising a dirty-blonde eyebrow in curiosity.

"I couldn't… finish the job," the Lord admitted as he grimaced at the thought of killing the Brigand from earlier. "I wanted to make father proud but I…, he probably just thinks I'm…"

"Now stop right there!" Kay exclaimed eagerly, a hard frown of her own adorned on her usually bright expression. "You did great little man, you should be happy! I'm sure big boss man is too; he just can't say that sorta thing!" The Social Knight grinned as she shrugged before continuing onwards. "Rargh, I'm Boss Vikeruce and I pretend I don't have a heart!" The rambunctious youth spoke in her best impression of Sathryon, a comically lowered volume to her own voice as she clenched her fists and stretched her shoulders out. Selthris couldn't help but smile watching her bad impression.

"I think what my sister is trying to say, Lord Selthris…," George began as he coughed aloud perhaps as if to stop himself from laughing at his sibling's antics. "Is that he is proud of you," he continued as he turned to face the surprised and frowning Selthris. "Lord Sathryon does seem to be holding his emotions back, this much is true… and please forgive me for being so blunt Lord but…," the dutiful youth explained briefly before ending his next sentence with a smile. "However, it is clear as day that is proud of you; you are his only son after all."

"Thanks George…, Kay," Selthris said, turning his smile on the pair, eliciting a similar grin from the listening Kay and an appreciative nod from George. "I'll do all I can to prove myself worthy."

"Oh, you're fine little man, I wouldn't worry too much about it," Kay grinned as she waved the matter off, eliciting a light but weathered smile from the little Lord. "Besides, hey, could be worse; you could be George."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" The disgruntled Social Knight in question turned his head over with an annoyed frown wrote all over his expression. Kay couldn't help but laugh.

"You know…" Sathryon spoke from his side of the field, his dull silver eyes narrowing forward seemingly in thought. Ulric rode next to him, brown eyebrows raising upward in curiosity.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"You may have a point after all," the Lord Knight thought to himself, seemingly aloud as he raised one of his hands to cup his chin in thought. Ulric's eyes widened in honest surprise; Sathryon Vikeruce almost never second guessed himself. "I have some feeling that Naerith is involved in all this."

"The Kingdom of Naerith?" Ulric parroted, eyebrow raising once more in curiosity and Sathryon simply nodded. "Why, what would they have to gain?"

"I'm not sure yet," the wise patriarch said, shaking his head in mild annoyance perhaps at his miss. "And yet I have this… feeling…"

"Yes, sire?"

"It was like when we went to war twenty years ago… do you remember Ulric?" The Lord Knight asked as he turned to face the experienced Paladin, his eyes narrowed once more. Ulric met his stare with a hard-eyed narrow of his eyes in accordance. "War begets war…" He muttered aloud.

"That's what you think this is? War? How?"

"I'm not sure Ulric," Sathryon responded calmly, shaking his head as he stared at the open field ahead of him, mildly frustrated. "Perhaps I'm just getting old and I'm just worrying." The Lord Knight finally chuckled, a mirthless smirk adorned on his face as he shut his eyes.

"No, I doubt it," Ulric disagreed with as he turned his own face to the field. Sathryon blinked as he faced his experienced vassal, waiting for more. "Your intuition has always been spot on, if you don't mind my saying so your majesty," the Paladin continued, eliciting a nod from the listening king. "So, what would you like to do about this feeling then sire?"

Sathryon turned his head back and lowered it, seemingly thinking. "I think…," he began, his eyes narrowing as he thought on. "That our best course of action would be to visit the Naerith Embassy."

"The embassy?" Ulric parroted, his eyes narrowing in surprise. "But what would they tell us?"

"They can at least help confirm one or two things I'm considering at the moment," Sathryon began again as he turned to face the Paladin, a hard set of eyes faced on him. He nodded as he continued. "We journey to the Naerith Embassy in Aselia." He finished in a decisive nod.

\--

Selthris thought many things while he sat guard outside Geliano Castle; they had stopped on the way back home to rest and though he hadn't asked, his father had put him on watch, leaving the little Lord to his own thoughts.

"Am I even ready to do this on my own?" The youth thought to himself, turning his gaze downward in a worried sense of nerves. Again, he wished for his best friend to be here. His thoughts turned on the loyal Mercenary and couldn't help but smile as he remembered his infectious grin and the never-ending help he always gave him.

Whether he asked for it or not.

"I miss you Leo." The Lord murmured, more to himself than anything as he stared at the ground.

"Damn, gettin' emotional out here."

The young boy's silver eyes shot wide open in shock and he snapped his head around in a gasp to find the smirking Kay standing behind him, arms folded. He put on a nervous zig-zag like smile and chuckled hesitantly.

"Missin' your friend huh?" The Social Knight asked more softly this time however as she put on a smile of her own and walked over, sitting next to him. She draped her legs over the small hill they sat on and laid an armoured hand over her raised left knee, smiling. "I can understand that."

"W-What are you doing out?" Selthris questioned rudely, surprised more than anything. "I thought father asked me to do it al-"

"Oh, what big boss man doesn't know won't hurt him," the thoughtful young woman grinned as she pinched the blinking boy's cheek sisterly. Selthris couldn't help but smile at her effort, lowering his eyes in his usual reserved state. "Besides leaving you out here alone is a little…"

"Y-Yeah?"

"It's… wrong, really," the young woman claimed with an almost unsure frown on her face. Selthris blinked once more as he listened. "I mean, you're so young! What if we get attacked?"

Selthris lowered his eyes and frowned, disappointed at himself. "I know, I'm sorry I'm not stronger-"

"No, it's not your fault," Kay interrupted, eliciting yet another surprised blink from the Lord. "It's your father's; he expects too much of you," she continued and Selthris finally nodded, seemingly agreeing with her. "I mean, if you don't mind my saying so." She added with an apologetic and sheepish grin on her face.

"N-No I… I see what you're saying," Selthris agreed, a sad sort of smile present on his countenance. His bright eyes lowered once again as he continued. "He's been… a lot more active on me these past few weeks."

"Have you any idea what it is?" She questioned, a curious frown on her face as she turned her head at him her blonde fringe falling over her eyes lightly.

"Ever since… Staciel disappeared...," the boy began, losing his smile in favour of a mournful frown, his eyes half-closing. Kay's eyes widened as she listened to him speak his sister's name. "Father's been focusing so much on my progress."

"Princess Staciel… your sister?" Kay asked and the prince nodded. The Social Knight looked thoughtful for a second before raising back up her head to speak. "I think he just wants to prepare you as quickly as possible," she started again, pulling his attention upwards. "He needs you to take over command and kingship of the country eventually doesn't he?"

"Well, yes, but…," Selthris responded, nodding with a melancholic-like frown adorned on his expression. His eyes, still a tinge of sadness to them, raised back up to stare at the curious woman as he finished. "I don't feel like I was his… first choice…"

"What do you mean?" Kay dared to ask, the meaning of the question seemingly lost on her as she leant her head to the side.

Selthris' expression twitched, as if annoyed at having to explain however he smiled regardless and continued. "I feel like father was stuck with me," he said, this time with a morose looking frown on his face. "I'm not very smart, I'm not strong and I have no real negotiation skills at all," he continued, his gaze turning low as it usually did. Kay watched him with a sombre sort of look of her own, listening and waiting as she placed her hands on the hill. "The only other alternative was Staciel and… father… well…" He spoke, his voice breaking as he did so seemingly unable to finish. Kay eventually sensed the emotion in his words and offered a few words of her own to defuse the situation.

"It could always be worse," the Social Knight claimed, a grin on her face. The young Lord gasped and turned his glassy eyes over to stare at the older knight, surprised. "Your dad at least loves you, right?" She offered, tilting her head with a light grin on her face. Selthris frowned at her before lowering his eyes, almost as if unsure. "Try not to worry so much," she said, forming her grin into a warm smile as she stood up, dusting herself off. "We should be ready to-" She began again as she turned her head to the frontlines momentarily however she stopped speaking; her eyes widened as she stared down the field. "Oh no…"

Selthris raised a curious eyebrow and quickly traced her stare. His own eyes similarly widened, adrenaline quickly creeping its way into his veins as he saw what she saw on the horizon; approaching dots all coloured a deep crimson and ebony.

Naerith soldiers.

"I'll go wake up the guys; you make sure you're ready! Okay?" Kay called over her shoulder as she turned for the castle, a look of unnatural urgency in her eyes. Selthris forced himself up and dusted himself off, nodding hurriedly. Kay shot him a confident grin. "We got this!" She claimed confidently and she was off, leaving the panicking Selthris alone. He turned to face the dots on the horizon and his very blood trembled at the thought of fighting again. He got lucky last time, extremely.

These were soldiers.

He tried to steady his breathing.

3

"There it is up there on that hill General Cain!" The excited Halberdier exclaimed as he pointed ahead of their path. The named General rose his red-haired head, his moustache and goatee ruffled in the wind. He put on a light grin as he spied the dots on the horizon.

"Yes… our intelligence was correct then, well done Abel," the General spoke, a satisfied grin on his face. "This should be good; I can't wait to lock blades with the legendary Sathryon Vikeruce."

"What are our plans General?" Abel spoke loudly once more, opting to be heard as they marched toward their sky-blue armoured enemy. "Are we to stick to the original plan?"

Cain nodded, a hard glint in his eyes as he glared forward. "Yes; we hit them hard and fast. But first we let them know why we are attacking them."

"Sir, why would we do that?" The Halberdier questioned curiously, tilting his head as he did so.

"God knows," Cain muttered as he shook his head. "Orders from our king are to frame Aselia and make them look negative in the public eye; I couldn't care less, I just want to fight Sathryon."

"Is he really all that strong General Cain?" Abel asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"There are stories surrounding him; don't forget that he is crowned as 'Magnificent Warrior and Leader'," Cain began as he licked his lips hungrily; the low smirk on his face perhaps foreshadowing his true intentions. "To clash with him and learn once and for all if he is worthy of the Naerith legends…"

"I am sure he is no match for you General!" Abel shot back with a confident smirk of his own as he walked alongside him. Cain's eye turned on the Halberdier for a quick second before he smirked similarly and turned his eyes back to the field ahead of him.

"We'll see."

\--

"Naerith? Do I have that right?" Sathryon parroted, his voice sounding almost angry as he walked into the briefing room, tilting his head over at the standing and saluting Kay.

"Yes sire!" The Social Knight spoke loudly before lowering her stance to her usual posture. "Sel and I-"

"Kay." George interrupted with a light cough, his arms folded as he frowned.

"Oh uh, sorry," the Social Knight apologised with a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of her head as she did so. "Lord Selthris and I…," she began again, eliciting a pleased nod from the listening Ulric and George in response. "We were standing guard outside and we just suddenly saw them; red dots on the horizon."

"Are we certain that it's Naerith forces?" Ulric questioned, a hard frown on his face as he folded his arms.

"Yeah; I wouldn't forget that armour." Kay replied, a hard frown on her own nod.

"Is this true?" Sathryon asked for confirmation, a lightly annoyed scowl on his face as he 'rounded his stare on his standing son. Selthris gulped and fidgeted under his father's stare and nodded hurriedly.

"Y-Yes father."

Sathryon looked thoughtful as he listened, his eyes lowering temporarily before he raised his left hand to cup his chin, his right held under his left elbow folded. "Why would Naerith forces be advancing on our position?"

"Perhaps it has something to do with the bandit attack in Fernsworth?" Ulric offered, his own arms still folded as he turned his head.

"Hrm…," Sathryon murmured, his eyes narrowing at the ground. "Perhaps…"

"Regardless however long we sit here we give the enemy more time to prepare," George spoke up, urgency in his voice though still as calm as ever. Sathryon's silver eyes shot up to face his vassal's and he frowned. "What should we do Lord Vikeruce?"

"We set up a defensive perimeter around the castle," Sathryon began before turning his eyes on each member in the room. "Ulric; you and I will deal with the meat of the forces. I will attempt to contact the General and, if need be, slay him," the Lord Knight claimed confidently as he frowned over at the veteran Paladin. Ulric nodded in a silent show of acceptance. "George, Kay," he led with, eyes flitting over between the two Social Knights. "You will both help defend the castle; mop up whatever stragglers or remains that Ulric and I miss," he spoke, eliciting positive nods from the two. "And Selthris." The Lord Knight finally spoke, his attention ending on the worried young Lord.

Oh no, he thought.

"You will be leading the support division; I want you to take on the bulk of the work that George and Kay will be doing," Sathryon established, narrowing his eyes down at the young silver haired swordsman. "I want you to slay many soldiers; am I clear?"

"Y-Yes father, crystal." Selthris stammered sheepishly.

"All right, good," Sathryon murmured in response before his gaze hovered over every member of his militia. "Then let's do this; Vikeruce Militia move out!"

4

Even as the soldiers approached Selthris' heart still threatened to burst from its chest. He hated this; the adrenaline, the energy, the anxiety and the fighting.

Can't disappoint father though.

The little negative voice at the back of his head usually chimed in at times like these and he tried not to listen to it but sometimes it was hard.

This was one of those times.

Even as he was mid-thought, a small group of soldiers leapt at him, brandishing iron lances. His silver eyes widened as he back stepped to avoid the clumsy lunges they made, nearly falling behind himself. He cursed at his weakness and for his lack of attention to the battlefield.

"Lord Selthris!" George's call came from ahead and in stormed the dirty-blonde haired Social Knight. He opted to go with his own iron lance this time however and he stuck the front end of the blade into the underside of the first soldier's back, successfully ending him with a pain filled exclamation.

"My turn!" Exclaimed Kay as she rode in on alongside her younger brother, instead opting to slash her steel sword across the wide eyed second soldier's face. He yelled in pain as he was sent sprawling to the ground from the sheer surprise and ferocity of her attack and though George looked on disapprovingly, Kay instead grinned happily at the results of her charge.

With one more soldier left, Selthris' eyes narrowed at him. The nameless soldier turned to quickly view his two fallen comrades and, perhaps frustrated by his dire situation at being surrounded, turned back to face his original target. He let loose an angry bellow as he rushed forward at the narrow-eyed Lord. Selthris immediately yanked out his rapier from its sheath and rose it up to the sky, the moonlight reflecting from the blade. Although the soldier's eyes were drawn up to the sight he simply continued dashing toward his target undeterred; Selthris executed a cartwheel and used his sword to pole vault off of into the air. The soldier, this time, stopped running and stood with a shocked expression on his face, instead opting to raise his iron lance up horizontally. Perhaps frustrated with his situation quickly switching from offence to defence he shot the leaping Selthris a scowl before setting his legs aside from each other for a strong defensive stance. As Selthris finally descended down upon his opponent his iron sword glowed a peculiar shade of red, eliciting yet another shock filled gasp from the watching soldier.

"N-No!" He simply exclaimed.

A critical hit.

Feeding his fears, the narrow eyed Selthris crashed his blade into the yelling soldier's weapon, easily breaking the wood holding the blade up. The soldier, struck by the unusually strong slash, was sent sprawling to the ground in pain rolling away from them. Selthris gasped as he landed on one knee, his eye shutting temporarily perhaps from the previous effort of his attack.

"That was awesome little man!" Kay laughed as she rode her horse forward to join him, eliciting a surprised frown from the boy. He later chuckled nervously in response, shaking his head as if denying the credit.

"Although they say it is usually based on luck…," George began as his own horse clopped toward them, his eyes set on the fallen soldier before finally turning back to face the little Lord with a light smile. "I believe some of your statistics came into play into that one; well done Lord Selthris." The Social Knight complimented as he bowed lightly from atop his steed, smiling.

"Wait a minute…," Kay began, double taking toward the fallen soldier. Her eyes narrowed and Selthris noticed, wincing lightly. "He's not dead, is he?" The blonde Social Knight questioned, surprised as she turned her inquisitive blink on the wincing Selthris.

"U-Um w-well-"

"Lord Selthris… you know what we must do." George interrupted softly, a sad frown on his own face. Selthris' silver eyes quickly darted up to his vassal's and he cringed once again.

"I-I know George but-"

"But nothing Lord Selthris," George shook his head, once again interrupting. Selthris stood back up but his shame was still present on his face, lowering his head as if being told off by a big brother. "Just be grateful your father hasn't seen this; you've seen how he gets." The Social Knight warned before turning to deal with the unconscious Naerithian soldier. He shot his iron lance down to pierce the grunting man's chest, finally ending him.

Selthris couldn't even find the courage to respond; he knew what George said was true. If his father did catch wind of this he'd face severe consequences.

Just like last time.

Have to get stronger…

\--

"Be careful sire," Ulric began as he grunted, fending off a soldier's clumsy lance swing attack with his own steel lance before easily disarming the man and sticking him with the blade, ending the confrontation. "Their soldiers are unrefined and weak but they are fighting under the command of a competent general." The Paladin admitted as he turned, his eyes glaring at the remaining enemies ahead of them.

"Yes, I can see that Ulric," Sathryon responded, his own silver eyes narrowed at the young axe fighter below him. With little vestige of mercy, the Lord Knight easily struck the yelling young man down as his horse rose in a veritable whinny of effort before finally coming back down with his swipe. The axe fighter was sent sprawling across the ground, his iron axe tossed to the ground as carelessly as his corpse. Sathryon's eyes raised back up to watch the arrangement of soldiers before them. "They appear to have little battle experience but their formation is a good one; I haven't seen it used since the last war," he explained briefly, bringing his horse around next to his ally's, his eyes glowering at the watching soldiers. "That said…," he began again, a ghost of a smirk growing on his face. "There is a weakness in every defence."

"So, you are the legendary Sathryon Vikeruce!"

Sathryon's eyebrows raised in curiosity and his head lifted with them. Only after the low, booming voice interrupted did Sathryon finally see the source of the exclamation. A tall man with a short red-haired head, sporting a moustache and goatee walked past the formation of soldiers, an excited grin on his face as he regarded the steed-sat Sathryon.

"To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?" Sathryon simply addressed as he turned his hard frown on the General, eyes watching him carefully. The General folded his armoured arms and grinned.

"General Cain of the Naerithian military," he introduced himself finally. Sathryon's eyes narrowed as he listened. "I have been watching all five of you; impressive work considering the number difference. Are you all as well endowed with battle skills as I would hope?" He came out and asked, turning his head lightly as he did so.

"Numbers on the battlefield are not necessarily the deciding factor." Sathryon shot back simply, a low frown on his face as if reciting a lesson.

Cain's red eyebrow rose, perhaps in mocking as he smirked. "Oh?"

"Surely you remember?" Sathryon simply asked, raising an honestly curious silver eyebrow. When Cain simply turned his head, his impudent smirk still adorned, the Lord Knight continued. "The deciding victory Aselia secured in the Naerith conflict twenty years past?"

Cain's smirk was soon lost to him in favour of an angered scowl and he narrowed his eyes at the Lord Knight. "Pure luck," the General spat angrily, his words full of venom and hatred. "Aselia could never-"

"There's no such thing as luck on the battlefield," the Aselian Lord Knight interrupted, his hard frown still evident on his expression. When Cain's eyes widened, perhaps in shock somehow Sathryon gained his own smirk. "That much you can be sure of."

Almost as if provoked by the older man's words, Cain pulled his steel lance out eyes glaring at the horse-riding knight. "I have a request."

It was Sathryon's turn to raise his silver eyebrow. "Oh yes?"

"We… warriors… rarely get a chance like this," Cain began as he chanced a few steps forward, raising his free left arm as if for emphasis. "A duel between two competent warriors; you and I," he continued, his old smirk resurfacing once again. "If you win then I promise to pull back my soldiers and allow you safe passage back to your homeland."

Sathryon's eyes stared at the General "And if I lose?"

"Come now; don't make me say it." The General chuckled ominously, his smirk saying all that need be said. Sathryon watched the fiery-haired Naerithian knight for a few seconds, as if considering it. Ulric, having opted to remain silent thus far, finally turned his disapproving frown on his lord and superior.

"Lord Sathryon…" He began, verifying his tone suggested his criticism.

"Ulric," Sathryon spoke, interrupting the Paladin and surprising him. "I will agree to this."

"B-But Lord!" Ulric exclaimed in a hiss, his eyes narrowing. "How do we know he is telling the truth?!"

"Have faith in me Ulric," the Lord Knight claimed boldly, turning his head simply. His eyes showed no fear or hesitation at all and the watching Paladin was awestruck upon seeing them. "As I do in all of you."

"Y-Yes Lord." Ulric finally agreed, perhaps reluctantly, bowing respectfully. Sathryon turned and climbed down from his steed, walking forward with slow deliberation his eyes watching the smirking General.

"Yes… yes that's it…" Cain murmured in a chuckling grin, ushering his upcoming opponent forward.

"Are you ready, Naerithian general?" Sathryon spoke out confidently as he finally stopped just short of the black and red armoured man. "Let's see how much you are truly hiding…"

5

"That's… strange." George spoke as he moved his horse forward, ever cautious. His eyes narrowed at the many Naerith soldiers that were now docile; an unusual calmness around the soldiers that contrasted their previous hostility.

"Yeah, what gives?" Kay blurted out, annoyed perhaps at being unable to fight anymore. "Weren't they just attacking us?"

"Perhaps…," Selthris chanced as he walked alongside the two Social Knights, his silver eyes darting between the crimson and ebony armoured soldiers. "We've reached a cease-fire?"

"I doubt it," Kay responded as her eyes watched the confrontational glare in the Naerithian soldiers. "The air still feels heavy."

"I can only concur with Kay," George agreed, nodding a hard look on his own expression. "I'm not sure I like where this is headed," he claimed, eliciting a light wince and gulp from the listening Selthris. As they finally approached where they were all gathering however they found Ulric standing over a small step incline. He turned to regard the three and nodded his head upwards as if to pull them closer. "Ulric-sensei." George greeted, nodding toward the older man in respect. Ulric simply nodded in response.

"So what's goin' on?" Kay uttered suddenly as she peered over the veteran Paladin's shoulder, eliciting a hard look from her mentor. She smiled at him sheepishly as she backed up a step or two, allowing him breathing room.

"Things have taken a dangerous turn," Ulric began as he turned his sombre expression downward. Selthris, George and Kay all walked forward, standing next to the Paladin and traced his stare. "Lord Sathryon is going to duel the Naerith general as a way to ease the bloodshed on both sides."

"T-That's a good thing though… right?" Selthris dared to ask, his naivety making the older male's frown crinkle ever so slightly in concern.

"We don't know if he will keep to his word." He simply said, his words carrying much weight.

"O-Oh…" Selthris murmured, his eyes lowering down to the area the Naerith soldiers made; a duelling ring surrounded by the soldiers.

"I got faith in him," Kay grinned in confidently, watching over her mentor's shoulder. "The boss is super strong; I remember seeing him fight when I was just a cadet!" The eager Social Knight chuckled, her eyes temporarily shut as if replaying the memory in her head.

"There is no doubt that Lord Sathryon is a fierce warrior… but…," George began, seemingly voicing his own doubts as he watched with an unsure frown. "If these soldiers turn against him… I am not so sure that…"

"If that happens, we interfere," Selthris interrupted, his eyes glaring down at the said soldiers. The three horse riding units, surprised by the youth's words, turned to frown down at him with widened eyes. "I-I mean, we should, right?" The young Lord chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head as he did so.

"Of course, Lord Selthris, I'm just… surprised," Ulric smiled lightly. "For a second it was like looking at your father."

"Chip off the old block!" Kay grinned as she ruffled the youth's silver hair affectionately, eliciting a watching smile from the listening George. Selthris' head lowered and although initially in embarrassment, he quickly found regret seeping in.

Why didn't that thought comfort him?

\--

Sathryon's dark silver eyes darted between each of the red shields the Naerithian soldiers held while they shook their low, guttural chants.

"Duels are a Naerith custom, aren't they?" Sathryon asked, his eyes flitting back to rest on his smirking opponent. Cain stood on the opposite end of the small arena they were granted, watching him quietly.

"Yes… you're quite knowledgeable, aren't you?" The General said with his perhaps overconfident smirk, raising a curious crimson eyebrow. "What else do you know?"

"I know that Naerith isn't known for winning its wars," the dismounted Lord Knight claimed, his face still set in a hard frown. His words elicited a wide-eyed frown first from the listening Cain and then a disapproving low scowl. "And if someone is impudent… there is less reason to believe they are a worthy warrior." He ended in a low smirk of his own.

Cain however regained his own smirk and raised his head haughtily in the Lord Knight's direction. "Your arrogance knows no bounds…," the General began with a contemptuous sounding chuckle. "I had once thought to have relished the opportunity to have fought one with such a reputation as you… but…," he continued before lowering his head and grinning lowly. "It would seem I overestimated you."

"We shall see." Sathryon shot back, a competitive smirk adorned on his own countenance.

"Yes…," Cain grinned. "Yes, we shall."

6

Cain wasted no time in leaping forward with surprising nimbleness for a short moving General; his steel lance hanging high in the air. Sathryon's eyes shot up at it before shifting back down to his opponent's own eyes, watching him carefully as he raised up his own sword, a peculiar looking blade that was clearly specially forged. As Cain crashed his weapon against his opponent's he let out a laugh as he struggled down on the older knight, sparks flashing from their conflict.

"Is this all you have? Surely not," the fiery haired General grinned in a chuckle, suspended in the air as he gripped his lance with both hands. "Not the legendary Vikeruce senior…" He teased, narrowing his eyes down at the firm faced Sathryon. As if provoked by the man's words, Sathryon managed to push the surprise faced man back, seemingly using his Aegir to do so. Cain grunted as he back flipped in recovery and landed, eyes watching the dismounted Lord Knight however when the brown eyed General rose his eyes up to regard his enemy he had already disappeared. Cain's eyes widened and he snapped his head around in search for the missing man, unable to locate him. The guttural chants from his soldiers began to pester him as he looked for his surprisingly quick opponent. A flash of movement made him snap his head around to his undefended side on his left; there he was, moving like lighting across the ground.

Cain barely got his steel lance up in time to block the Lord Knight's charging diagonal slash attack, groaning under the curious pressure. "You're… fast…," Cain managed to mutter out, forcing a grin as he glared past the sparks to find the hard frowning Sathryon staring back at him. "How are you so… quick?!" He blurted out as he attempted to push the Lord Knight using his weapon as a line of defence. Sathryon immediately disappeared once again and Cain's eyes widened; they caught the bare movement of what looked like small sparks of electricity on the ground, snaking across the arena. Some of the chanting soldiers let out a surprised cry of defending effort when the sparks reached their shields and it was then that Cain quickly realised.

The lightning was Sathryon!

The General gasped as the electricity kicked off of one of the soldier's shields and came careering toward him. Eventually and suddenly it caught up with him, crashing against his blade and Cain was almost sure it made the same sound thunder and lightning did. The sparks soon came alive and there he was once again; the super-fast Sathryon himself.

"This isn't good...!" Cain thought to himself sweat drop running down his brow, his head held back up the way as if to ward him away from a monster. "He's too fast…!"

"What's wrong, General Cain?" Sathryon spoke, staring at the man between the sparks of their struggling weapons. Though their arms twitched the Lord Knight's expression remained as stoic and nonchalant as ever. Cain despised it already; he glowered at the man heatedly. "Not out of energy already are we?" The man boldly asked, raising a dark silver eyebrow before grunting with effort as he seemingly used his Aegir to vault from the General's lance. Cain cursed loudly as the Vikeruce senior side flipped from the steel lance he brandished before Sathryon suddenly shot off forward once again in pursuit, his unique sword held tightly within his right hand. Cain scrambled to return to his feet and gasped as he raised his steel lance in some attempt of defence, readying himself; Sathryon began a quick round of slashes and stabs, as furious as the bitter expression which Cain used to regard his opponent with.

"Dammit!" The General thought to himself, his eyes darting attempting to follow the blade but it was no use; it was all he could do to simply block the Lord Knight's rapid swings and stabs. "I have to weather this and turn the offensive!" The man pondered, narrowing his eyes determinedly forward. With jolting surprise, a reflecting shield of bluish green erected between the pair and pushed the wide eyed Sathryon back. "Yes!" Cain exclaimed in his head, regaining his old grin as his personal skill activated; Great Shield. With adrenaline coursing through his veins and that thought driving him on, Cain leapt forward in counter-attack a mad grin on his face. Sathryon spun in mid-air as he raised up his sword to diagonally, horizontally and even vertically block against the General's furious and angry swings.

"What's wrong Vikeruce?!" Cain laughed, his eyes a dancing mad as he spun his large steel lance around his head, bringing it down clanging against the concentrating, narrow eyed expressed Sathryon's vertical placed defence. The watching soldiers chanted more loudly now as the battle raged on, perhaps cheering for their daring commander. "What's a little pain?!" The blazing haired man exclaimed excitedly, laughing as he brought his glowing lance diagonally down upon the wide eyed Sathryon; a critical strike attack. The General roared with effort as he slammed the armament down upon his opponent's; Sathryon gasped under the effort, attempting to block the attack and seemingly suffering some sense of jarring. He was sent skidding back and shut one of his eyes, seemingly in the effort of simply attempting to block the attack.

Cain let out a boisterous guffaw as he witnessed the Lord Knight, previously with the upper hand and now on the defence. "Is that all you have?!" The General called out brashly, eliciting his chanting soldiers to follow suit with derisive laughter directed at the frowning Lord Knight's expense. "I was wrong to expect much of the Vikeruce clan it would seem!"

Sathryon frowned as he shook his sword arm to return feeling and raised his free left hand to rub at his left eye. He brought it to his attention and glowered down at it; blood. He clenched his fingers into a fist as he acknowledged it, his argent orbs rising upward to meet his opponent's laughing mouth. "Impressive," he only spoke, still wearing his stoic frown. His words seemed to silence the surprised Cain, immediately garnering his attention. "That's quite a number you've dealt on me."

"And the prodigal son finally speaks!" Cain exclaimed raucously, a grin ever prevalent on his features. He rose his arms up to rest on his two sides. "Why to receive such words from one such as distinguished as you, Lord Vikeruce!" Cain called out, his voice dripping with sarcasm and an insulting tone. "It is… truly an honour." The General played his performance up with a final bow of mock respect, ever the impudent smirk adorned on his face. He raised it mid-bow as his soldiers all laughed along with him derisively aimed at the thus silent Lord Knight.

"Are you sure… General Cain?" Sathryon chanced as he stood back up, regaining his full posture once again. He whiffed a light diagonal slash as he advanced on the curious faced General. "Well… we will see... if there is iron in your words."

\--

As Sathryon and Cain leapt around the small makeshift arena, the watching and thus far silent Ulric traced their movement with his eyes seemingly following their movement.

"Lord Sathryon is much stronger than even I thought…," George commented on the battle, watching the pair race around the ground, weapons clashing and clanging against one another. "I'm thankful it is he fighting against this General Cain and not us."

"I bet I could take him!" Kay exclaimed enthusiastically as she pumped a confident fist upward with her usual grin on her face.

"He should be more careful…," Ulric began quietly, his eyes darting around to catch up with the super-fast sparks of lightning and earth. "Lord Sathryon is inviting danger in the way he is provoking this General Cain."

"Aw he's got this Ulric-sensei," Kay laughed, waving the matter off as if it were nothing of consequence. "Look at how he runs rings 'round him and how angry he's making him!" The Social Knight exclaimed excitedly as she pointed down rudely at the pair. The group all turned their eyes to watching and found glimpses of a small smirk adorned on Sathryon's face whereas a hateful scowl was stuck on Cain's. "Just look at that!" Kay continued as she grinned, ringing an arm 'round the surprised and speechless Selthris. "That's gonna be you eventually!" She complimented with a happy grin, turning her beaming look on the blinking boy's.

Though he was flattered to be compared to his father, as he watched him now Selthris could only sigh in his head.

There was no way he would ever reach a level anywhere close to his father's; sometimes it felt like the only one who even knew this was himself.

He tried not to ruin the moment regardless however.

Pulling from all of his speed, energy and strength Cain swung his large steel lance horizontally and wildly, cursing when his smirking opponent avoided the easily telegraphed attack. The General let out a gasping cough when the narrow eyed Sathryon pressed forward with his two feet; he used the man's armour to vault from and pushed the man back, sending him in the air with an effort filled yell. Using the chanting soldier's shields once again, Sathryon caught his footing and bounced back off the apparatus.

"Are you ready, Naerithian General?!" Sathryon called out, his voice echoing somehow in the small arena. As Cain landed in a deft back flip, skidding across the ground he wiped at the small trickle of blood gathering at the corner of his mouth. "Let's see just how much you can take!" The Lord Knight yelled out before outstretching forward his free left arm into a peculiar crab-like claw formation, his sword arm held far to his right. "Aegir Art; Lightning Blade!" The man roared; channelling his Aegir from his open left palm, it quickly enveloped his peculiar sword, seemingly buffing the weapon.

"Lightning is it…?!" Cain gasped, eyes widening before he chuckled and shot forth his own free left hand in a similar formation. "Aegir Art; Earth Wall!" The General called out with a contrasting mad expression on his face; he slammed the Aegir infused lance into the ground and as if by magic, the ground itself rose up to assist him in blocking his opponent's attack. Sathryon's eyes simply narrowed once more at the new sight that lay before him, his determination naturally increased from witnessing the attempt at defence. The watching Selthris, Kay, George and Ulric all fell silent watching with contrasting concern, excitement and worry; even the previously chanting soldiers had restrained their voices to witness what appeared to be the climax of the fight. Sathryon grunted with effort as he made the final approach and brought his lightning infused sword down upon the wall of earthen defence; time seemed to slow down for the anxious pair as they watched their attacks collide. Finally however as the two abilities crashed together, Cain's eyes shot wide open as he watched his earthen wall topple under the shocking might of Sathryon's sword, breaking apart into two with a mighty crack.

The General let out an awe filled choke as he watched the electric element sword plummet down on him; though he attempted to raise his steel lance to block the incoming attack, the sword easily swatted the blade away sending it sprawling across the ground. Cain let out an exclamation of pain as he was sent just a few feet away, lolling across the ground in a similar sense to his weapon. Before he could even re-open his eyes he let out another gasp as he found Sathryon's sword pressed softly up against his neck; his eyes, now widened, slowly ascended upwards before finally resting on the hard-scowling face of the duel's victor. The soldiers, though under the command of Cain, turned their victorious chants on Sathryon, the victor.

"Check," Sathryon began before narrowing his silver eyes down at the man. "And mate." He added, a firm looking glower to his features. Cain's initially shocked frown gradually shifted to an angry scowl and he glared back at the dismounted Lord Knight.

"How…? I used Earth Style Aegir; I should have won! On top of that I have the weapon advantage! This is all wrong!" The General yelled angrily, his voice echoed by the duelling arena.

Sathryon pulled his now calm sword back, his eyes still resting on the fallen Cain. "I was simply the better warrior," he reasoned, eyes hard and set on the growingly angry man. "That is all there is to it."

"Impossible…," Cain muttered, his anger bubbling. He made to open his mouth to speak further, perhaps another insult directed towards the victorious Lord Knight however his eyes widened once again; he noticed something else. "Oh!"

"Hm?"

"That's it…!" Cain hissed, his eyes dancing with astonishment. "That green glow around you and your sword!" He exclaimed, thrusting a finger at the man as if he were a witch. Sathryon simply upturned one of his silver eyebrows, curious. "That's Holares' glow; the Holy Sword and Holy Blood of Aselia! Only his descendants have that ability!" The General exclaimed, an exasperated and bitter tone to his words and expression as he spoke. "You wouldn't have beaten me otherwise!" The man reasoned with as he lay his head back and chuckled.

"I don't know what on earth you're mumbling about…," Sathryon shot back smarmily, lowering his head shutting his eyes temporarily before re-opening them and glaring back down at the Naerith general. "But you have lost," he continued, eyes boring holes into the tutting man. "Let's see you take to your words and retreat… like a man." The Lord Knight finished with a smirking low chuckle as he sheathed his sword, turning to leave. The now silent soldiers cleared a path for him and awaited their commander's orders; Cain roused himself to his feet and turned his glare on the retreating Sathryon, bending down to pick up his steel lance as he did so. The General raised his free left armoured arm to wipe off the remaining trickles of blood and dirt from his face, eyes glaring into the Lord Knight's back.

"General Cain," a voice interrupted, causing him to blink and turn to find his ever-loyal Halberdier, Abel. "Do we truly retreat? Shouldn't we… give pursuit?" The man asked, raising a curious eyebrow. Cain regained his older scowl and turned it back on the walking Sathryon.

"No; we lost here today but Naerith is a country of honour. We stick to our word," the General began before turning back to face his soldiers. "Men! We allow these vermin room to breathe and retreat for now!" The man called out, his voice commanding and assuring. The soldiers responded with an enthusiastic raise of their iron lances, almost all in sync together. "Sathryon Vikeruce!" Cain exclaimed, eliciting the man in question to stop and turn from his walk, eyes narrowed. He found the black and red armoured warrior glaring back at him, raising up his free arm to his eyes. "I'll be watching you." He finished in a low toned growl as he raised his two fingers to end pointed on the man in question. Sathryon elected to simply remain quiet as he watched the General mark their rivalry, his own right hand laying limp at his side while his left held his sheathed sword softly. They remained like that for what seemed like forever before, finally, the General turned slowly and his soldiers all followed behind him their footsteps trudging across the plains of the field.

"Boss!" Kay suddenly exclaimed as she crashed into the wide-eyed Lord Knight, surprised at her sudden rough embrace. "You kicked his ass, well done!" She called out happily, grinning as she did so. When the thus far silent Sathryon turned his hard, disapproving frowning gaze down upon on her, she turned a wide-eyed surprised sheepish smile of her own in response. "Handshake instead?" She offered comically, a worried little smile on her features as she pulled back from her hug. The watching George, Ulric and Selthris all couldn't help but even just smile at the exchange.

"Regardless that was well done sire," George offered in, a light smile on his features. He bowed and nodded with it respectfully. "I'm proud to have you as our king."

"Yes, I apologise Lord Sathryon," Ulric sighed, losing his smile in favour of an apologetic frown. "I should have trusted your word."

Sathryon waved the matter off, his usual business like frown ever adorned. "No, you responded with the only logical course of action you were feeling at the time; I should be the one to apologise. I was still rash."

"B-But father-" Selthris began, stammering as he approached; all eyes were now drawn to him and he nearly shrunk back but soldiered on. "You stopped him without inflicting any more bloodshed; that's so impressive," he explained, a rare smile on his face. Sathryon raised a curious silver eyebrow as he listened. "I'm proud of you." He further admitted, his smile now beaming as his eyes shut in it. Sathryon couldn't help but grow small smirk of his own as he leaned forward and ruffled his son's hair affectionately perhaps taking advantage of the unusual situation.

"And man, you were so strong too!" Kay exclaimed once again enthusiastically as she walked alongside the now marching Sathryon. "That part when you were glowing green; that was awesome-"

"Yes, sire actually…," George interrupted with a rude though apologetic cough. The Lord Knight's attention was pulled in the Social Knight's direction and he raised an eyebrow, awaiting his next words. "I wondered what that may have been; would you do us the honour of telling us?"

Sathryon's eyes darted between each watching and listening member before he sighed through his nose and nodded. "It's well known as it is but…," he began, eliciting interested expressions from the listening juniors; Ulric simply scouted ahead, perhaps watching for anymore issues. "The Vikeruce clan come from a very prestigious line of swordsmen. Do any of you remember the story of the continent's defenders; the warriors of the Continental Divide?"

Selthris nodded but he remembered most of this from class anyway; five human heroes chosen by a small group of dragons helped to protect the land from an organisation of greedy and power hungry people. Attempting to gain entry to the Sacred Realm, a fabled dimension, even some dragons opted to ally with these godless humans.

"Our ancestor was the crux of what saved this land; a man by the name of Holares," Sathryon continued, drawing Selthris from his inward recollection. "When I glowed green I pulled from the Holy Blood the dragons blessed the original crusaders with; this has been passed down through the Vikeruce line for generations."

"So cool!" Kay exclaimed excitedly, like a child at Christmas. "So, if the Vikeruce line have it then…," she began, a wondering blinking frown to her features before she turned to face the zig-zagged faced Selthris and suddenly grinned. "Then you're next in line!"

"Yes, that would about be the situation of the matter," Sathryon chuckled for once, a small grin to his features before he turned his head to face his frowning son's. "I expect remarkable things from you Selthris." The Lord Knight admitted, a small grin to his face as he spoke, eliciting a worried nod from the boy in response.

"You're gonna be super strong Sel, count on it!" Kay interrupted with a happy grin on her own features seemingly still on a high from watching the combat earlier. Pulling the light silver haired boy up on her shoulder she elicited a surprised cry of surprise as he immediately grasped her shoulder for support in fear of falling off. George shook his head disapprovingly as he watched though couldn't seem to stop the small grin growing on his own features. "We're gonna make you the strongest Vikeruce since Holares!" The blonde Social Knight called out with a grin as she held onto the boy using her right hand.

"Aha… ha…" Selthris managed to murmur out, sweating from the pure fear of falling a worried little smile on his small features.

While the three behind them continued to roughhouse Sathryon strode forward to join the ever-frowning Ulric, a hard frown on both their faces.

"I can't help but worry about the presence of those soldiers Ulric," the Lord Knight started, his eyes narrowing forward as he did so. The Paladin turned his eyes in his commander's direction. "Naerith? Of all factions? Why?"

"Could be anything sire," Ulric simply responded, his eyes returning to the plains. "You know how their relationship has been with Aselia in the past."

"Mm…," Sathryon replied, raising one of his thumbs up; his eyes travelled down to it as he bit at it lightly, perhaps concerned. "And yet why do I have this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach?"

"We should hopefully be fine Lord," Ulric reasoned with a light sigh as they walked alongside each other. "We at least pushed them back this time."

"Hrm… yes." The Lord Knight added, his eyes narrowing forward in thought.

Perhaps next time wouldn't be so easy.


	3. A King's Duty

Chapter 3: A King's Duty  
Disturbance in Aselia Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Puzzling Truth" – Fire Emblem 9: Path of Radiance OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Wounded Warsong" – Silent Hill IV OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).

\--

With Naerith beaten back from a seemingly sudden invasion, veteran Ulric voices his concern and uncertainness around the situation; Naerith's sudden aggression is worrying and Ulric ensures his vassal, Sathryon Vikeruce, hears it. Having just fended off an entire battalion by-way of duel however, Sathryon is not hurting for confidence and though opting to heed his warning he instead continues his advancement towards the Naerith Embassy for answers.

Even while they march in what feels to him like grave silence, Selthris can only hope that the foreboding he feels is just needless worry as Leo always tells him it is…

\--

Scene 1

"Sire don't you think that we should worry more about-" Ulric sighed for the umpteenth time as they marched on towards Caelus in search of the Naerithian Embassy.

"For the last time Ulric we'll be fine," Sathryon shot back, interrupting the slightly older man with a small sigh. "I appreciate the cautiousness but let's remember; I did give them a sound thrashing, did I not?" The confidently spoken Lord Knight said with a matching grin that made Ulric frown disapprovingly.

"If you say so my lord."

"Aw come on Ulric-sensei!" Kay chimed in with her ever-sociable grin, riding her horse closer to his. "The boss kicked that general's derriere!"

The Social Knight's mentor, though initially rolling his eyes at her, turned his quizzical stare on her raising an eyebrow. "Derriere?"

"I know how ya don't like me swearing, so." The youth grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head in a show of light embarrassment.

"'Derriere'…," Ulric parroted with a shaking head and a light muttering under his breath. "I never thought I'd hear you using such a sophisticated use of vocabulary." The Paladin said sarcastically, the smallest of grins growing on his face. Seemingly not sensing the man's tone of voice, Kay grinned as always as she continued.

"I'm gettin' stronger in everything I do!" The exuberant young woman exclaimed happily, eliciting an exasperated low grin from the listening Ulric and a shake of his head in response as he turned to face her. "Surely ya gotta be proud by now." She chanced a grin as she spoke, winking at the older servant.

"Just… don't get ahead of yourself." The Paladin said, however added the spice of a smile to his words as he spoke; perhaps directed at his student's ever joyful expression.

"What's wrong Lord Selthris?" George asked, lowering his pace so his horse matched the little Lord's on his right. The thoughtful looking youth blinked before raising up his eyes to lock with his vassal's, smiling and shaking his head.

"I'm… fine." The silver haired youth lied, an attempt at a smile perhaps to ward the concerned Social Knight off.

"If you're sure my lord; remember, we're always here to listen." The older blonde man smiled down at the boy before ushering his horse forward, seemingly to re-join his companions. Selthris watched him leave as his smile fell back in favour of his previously worried frown. His silver eyes were quickly drawn to the back of the ever-intimidating form of his father. Almost as if sensing his son's gaze, the man's head tilted a little before turning slowly on his horse to stare back. Selthris' eyes widened and he immediately averted his eyes, desperately hoping for the man to return his gaze forward. Selthris chanced a look forward and quickly found his father approaching; his previous anxiety grew to heightened levels as he awaited the man's next words. When he finally approached, Selthris turned his eyes to the ground as he marched in stony silence.

"Selthris, look at me," the Lord Knight demanded quietly but firmly; the silver haired youth winced for a second but obeyed. He raised his head and frowned up at his father. "How are you dealing with the ins and outs of this?" He asked, his eyes seemingly searching his son's silent ones. "Are you feeling any better about it?"

Selthris merely nodded, opting not to respond vocally. Anytime he has expressed any kind of anxiety in front of his father it was either met with worrying annoyance or a chilling kind of stillness that seemed to be part of the man's very character.

"Good," Sathryon replied, nodding in satisfaction as he rode forward, turning his gaze at his path ahead. "The quicker this is all done the faster you'll be able to keep up."

"F-Father…," Selthris started, stammering his words as always. The parent raised a silver eyebrow, turning his eyes downward in response. "Why are you suddenly putting all this p-pressure on me?" He dared to question, his eyelids twitching from growing fear. Though he worried about what the man would say next he felt he had to voice his disapproval. "W-What about sister?" He continued and Sathryon's initially curious frown quickly morphed into an angry scowl as the young woman in question was mentioned. "Staciel would surely be better at-"

"Your sister…," Sathryon interrupted, his voice raised so highly that even Ulric and his two students turned their heads, perhaps initially alarmed before remembering their places and returning their attention away from them. "Your sister is interested in other matters of state," he explained briefly, turning a hard glare down on the surprised and blinking Selthris. "She is… unfit to succeed."

And that was it.

The tone of his voice that suggested the matter was closed and closed it was indeed; Selthris dared not to pursue his own line of thought.

He remained quiet the remaining of their journey.

"Stop!" Sathryon called out roughly as he similarly halted his horse's march, his dark silver eyes tracing the falling sunlight casting over the oncoming woods ahead of them. His eyes narrowed at them as he turned to face his small regiment, frowning at them as he usually did. "We stop here for the night."

"But where will we-" Kay spoke up with an inquisitive blink before her eyes caught the sight of the small castle up on the hill to their left. She chuckled and rubbed the back of her head nervously as she did so. "Good plan boss."

"Indeed; a fine plan," George concurred with his usual well-meaning manner, a light smile on his own expression.

As Selthris turned to follow he managed to catch sight of his father standing outside, double taking as he did so. His own light silver eyes became fixated on the older patriarch of the Vikeruce clan; his own gaze seemed to be centred on something.

"F-Father?" The young heir called out hesitantly and as awkwardly as he usually did, taking a few warding steps forward. The man didn't seem to hear him; his long, fixed stare simply continued, seemingly almost glaring at something. Selthris attempted to trace it and blinked as he did so, unable to find anything else out of the ordinary down the long field. "Father…?" He called again, this time quietly.

"Hm?"

Sathryon turned his surprised frown down on his inquisitive looking son, instead finding a similarly curious stare.

"W-What were you staring at?" The little Lord asked, a nervous laugh attached to his tone perhaps scared at angering the man.

"Don't you…?" The Lord Knight responded, raising a darker silver eyebrow up as he turned his eyes back to the field nodding his head forward at whatever he was staring at before. "Don't you see?"

Selthris turned to watch, his eyes blinking. Still unsure he turned to face his father and simply shook his head.

Sathryon, still seemingly confused, narrowed his eyes at his son before returning his gaze to the sightless field ahead of him. Finally however, he gave in with a sigh through his nose; shutting his eyes he lightly rested his thumb and index finger up to his forehead, as if thoughtful. "I'm sorry, Selthris," he began, his eyes still shut. Selthris merely tilted his head, unsure as to his father's intentions. "Perhaps I'm just getting too old." He admitted, turning a rare smile down on the boy.

Still gravely unsure and used to his father's other behaviour, Selthris could only frown back at the man. Eventually, however, he grew a very wary slow smile back at the man perhaps spurred on by the senior's unusual demeanour.

"After that earlier fight you have no need to apologise," Selthris honestly claimed with a smiling chuckle of his own, eliciting a light grin from the watching Sathryon. "You were… really strong father."

"And so shall you be," the Lord Knight smiled as he ruffled the young boy's wild hair affectionately, eliciting a surprised frown from the young Lord. "You are my heir after all."

"B-But there's no way I can-"

"I know I'm not great at this Selthris but…," Sathryon began, interrupting his son's words softly as he turned to leave. He swung his head back around to smile at the young lad, exchanging Sethris' own bewildered expression. "You are my son. I believe in you." The Lord Knight claimed, his voice definitive and illustrating the surprising concern he seemed to harbour.

Somehow, although he managed to deduce the affection as genuine, as Selthris was left alone he wasn't sure whether this gesture was necessitated.

Or even called at from an oncoming crisis.

Shaking his head of his silly, negative thoughts he broke into a brisk run attempting to catch up with the man, a smile on his face.

Maybe things really can change.

\--

Clashing his iron sword with Kay's own similarly iron weapon, Selthris grunted as he attempted to parry her swing but it was too late; the woman seemed to know him too well. The grinning blonde pushed him forward and he gasped, perhaps surprised at her strength as he stumbled backwards. Kay pressed the attack with a dash forward, a hungry grin on her lips.

"Be careful sister!" George's call came from the side lines of the limited field they were given inside the small castle.

"Oh it's…," Kay began as she dashed forward, sword at the ready. "No problem at all…!" She grinned as she brought her weapon down in a vertical slash attack; Selthris' silver eyes darted upwards to catch the blade and, using the speed he was thankful for, slapped the sword away with his own before leaping to his left in evasion. It was Kay's turn to gasp as she watched the boy snake round her side, perhaps surprised at his agility. With his unusually quick movement, Selthris bounded forward and rammed his knee into Kay's lower stomach region forcing her back with a pained cough. He followed up by deftly sweeping her legs, causing her to stumble; the blonde knight used her sword hand to grasp at the floor to avoid falling, eyes widened. She dropped her training sword however as she attempted to recover, allowing her opponent yet more time to act.

Selthris narrowed his eyes forward as he spun around in one hasty motion, leaping forward with his own sword drawn ready to finally retaliate. Kay's eyes shot back up to watch her opponent, perhaps biding her time. Finally, as he approached she bent her body backwards and tripped him up as he leapt at her. Selthris gasped, eyes widened as he lost his footing mid-air, dropping towards her like a stone. With a victorious grin the Social Knight leant backwards as she lay down and raised her legs up to catch him; he gasped again as he landed and she waited for what felt like ages before finally opening her mouth.

"I win!" She only whispered before kangaroo kicking him backwards sending him yelling into the air; she took off after him with an expeditious backflip. Selthris landed roughly and clumsily on the ground rolling to his front; he only managed to catch the wide eyed and grinning Kay descending upon him as he did so. The young Lord gasped as he shot up his own sword horizontally in some attempt to defend; the two clashed as she landed, straddling him. Eventually and soon as well the older knight's strength proved to be so much so that the boy yelped as her sword soon slashed his own away, harmlessly clattering to the ground. It rolled away noisily across the battlefield as Kay rose her iron sword to rest on the boy's throat horizontally, signifying her victory. With an adorable grin she shut her eyes as she shot up her free left hand to form a peace sign, perhaps invigorated by her win. Selthris, though saddened at his loss could not help but chuckle as he watched her grin above him.

"Well done sister!" George's voice exclaimed from the safe side of the field, getting steadily closer.

"Yes it was a good show of agility on both your parts," Ulric's own commanding voice concurred, also sounding closer. Kay and Selthris turned her head and looked up respectively to find the two approaching them. George offered the grinning Kay a hand and she took it demurely, obviously poking fun at her younger brother. "And yet I feel as if you were… holding back, Lord Selthris." The Paladin mentor claimed as he bent his back forwards to lend a hand to the fallen Lord in question. Selthris, perhaps embarrassed, averted the thoughtful gaze Ulric penetrated him with as he took the older male's hand, standing upwards. Kay turned with a surprised frown, blinking.

"Is that true Sel?" She hazarded to ask, surprised. "Did you let me win?"

"N-No I-"

"Oh come on," the young woman exclaimed, annoyedly as she folded her arms and clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Just 'cause I'm a woman, right?"

Selthris cringed as he shook his head and waved his hands worriedly, as if warding off an intimidating beast. "N-No I'm sorry I never meant to-"

"I think I know what it is," George interrupted, though calmly as he folded his own arms. The remaining group of three turned their heads to face him and listened. "You're still too soft, aren't you?"

"Soft?" Kay parroted, a distasteful tone to her voice as she scrunched her face up perhaps in wondering at the young man's question.

"Yes…," Ulric sighed as he also folded his arms, eyes shutting temporarily. "I was worried about this."

Kay, clearly confused opened her mouth to retaliate. "Worried about what, I don't under-"

"I still… tremble when I hold my sword," the young Lord admitted to, head held low as he frowned sadly. "I find it hard to really hurt someone."

George and Ulric both nodded as they listened. "Yes, I had noticed this," Ulric spoke up with another sigh before re-opening his eyes to watch the boy in front of him. "Your father will not be pleased with this."

"I-I know Ulric and I'm sorry but…," Selthris began as he joined his hands together, averting the man's gaze and turning it downward. "I've never killed anyone, you know?" The young Lord admitted as he turned his head up to face the thoughtful Paladin. He turned to cast his doubtful look on the Paladin's two loyal students. "I don't know how you all do it," he admitted, a sad expression marring his countenance. "I feel so guilty just attacking those bandits back at Fernsworth."

"Ya can't be that gullible surely," Kay chuckled, finding the situation surprisingly funny as she leant down hands on her knees to watch the boy. Selthris raised his head to frown sadly back at her. "Those guys were stupid ingrates; they deserved all they got, didn't they?"

Selthris didn't seem too confident of the woman's words; his eyes lowered as he opened his mouth to respond. "Did they though?" He asked rhetorically in response. "A life is still a life Kay." The boy claimed, raising his silver eyes back up to frown at her. The blonde Social Knight blinked back at him, positively shocked at his words.

"You can't be serious Lord Selthris," George agreed with his sister as he stepped in. "Some people are just as your father claimed; they are despicable and incapable of reforming."

"I know but…," Selthris began in response, lowering his head with a light wince as if unsure on what words to use. When he opened his mouth and raised his head to find Kay, George and Ulric all carrying similar expressions, he stopped seemingly surprised. They stared, perhaps waiting for him to continue and he finally chuckled good naturedly, shaking his head as he waved the notion off. "Never mind, I'm sorry." The youth finally added before turning to leave, heading for the outside of the room.

"W-Wait, Sel-" Kay exclaimed as she warded a step forward to catch the boy's attention however her brother managed to stop her with a hand placed on her shoulder.

"Let him go sister," he reasoned as he stared after the sorrowful seeming lad. "There are some things he must deal with on his own."

2

Night had already fallen upon the field of Dracolius; Selthris was allowed to cast his melancholy filled gaze upon the peaceful and dark grassland ahead of him.

He couldn't help but think of Kay, George and Ulric's faces when he said he what he said; sometimes he wondered whether he was truly right in what he thought about life.

Then he remembered the pressure from his father and his duties to change.

Almost as if to mock his very own thoughts, the boy lifted up his silver eyes to find a familiar looking figure further down the field. Illuminated by the moonlight he squinted, barely able to make it out; the figure turned as he stared, clearly a male. Selthris' eyes widened as he quickly realised it was his father.

What was he doing out here? It was Selthris' turn to watch and stand guard.

Wasn't it…?

Suddenly Selthris was reminded of the Lord Knight's sudden pre-occupation earlier on the field; as before he was staring ahead, seemingly at nothing at all. Selthris found himself attempting again to trace the older man's gaze and, just as before, could not locate a thing.

"What's he…?" The young swordsman murmured to himself as he narrowed his eyes at the male; he leapt up from his sitting position and walked forward, aiming to join his father. The youth picked up the pace however when he found the man similarly walking away from him. Eyes narrowed and set on his goal, Selthris broke out into a run heart set on answers.

"Come out!" Sathryon demanded, dark silver eyes tracing across the form that dreaded to emerge from the dark field below him. His glare withdrew from a scowl to a puzzled frown and narrow of his eyes. The figure before him wore dark clothing, well suited to the current climate; they also wore a bright purple coloured mask where their face would be. A ring-like pattern was etched across the material, allowing focus only for two eye sockets; two strangely familiar silver coloured eyes stared back at him through the mask. The figure remained silent as Sathryon watched them quietly, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"You've been following us," the Lord Knight opened with. The figure simply remained silent as they watched the man stare back at them. He turned his feet to the side and began to circle the figure slowly, eyes boring holes into the intruder. "Who are you?" He demanded. Again, he received no reply; no vocal one anyway. The figure simply glared back at him wordlessly. "Hrm… tight lipped I see," the Lord Knight began before slowly unsheathing his unique sword. The blade shone in the moonlight and Sathryon added to the complexion with a hard-eyed glower, already intensified by the harsh glow of the moon. In an instant the pair leapt forward, steel singing against one another.

"Father!"

Sathryon's hard glare was pulled back and he gasped as he raised his silver haired head up to find his son standing a few feet away from the pair, eyes widened and presumably dumbstruck. "Selthris!" The Lord Knight exclaimed, surprised; the masked figure used his complacency to their advantage and sunk their knee into the gasping king's stomach, winding him before spin slashing into a retreating back-flip. The masked figure turned their head to meet the frowning boy behind them; Selthris gasped and reacted, taking a single step back as he mixed his own eyes with the new intruder's.

"So… familiar…" The little Lord thought to himself, the initial shock of meeting the new presence having passed. "Who are…?" Selthris began quietly as he watched the figure in puzzlement. The masked character seemed to glare angrily back at the boy before finally returning their gaze at their enemy, the grunting Sathryon.

"For Narga's sake Selthris…," Sathryon began with an annoyed frown. "Leave! You are not wanted here!" The man curtly called over, annoyance darkening his expression.

"N-No!" Selthris shot back, his voice betraying his words. "I will not leave you here alone!"

"Tch…," Sathryon tutted, his annoyed frown twitching. "Then stay back!" He cried over incessantly. "Stubborn boy…" He muttered with a low sigh.

"Sathryon Vikeruce," the masked figure finally spoke. The named Lord Knight raised one of his dark silver eyebrows, surprised. "You are Aselia's King."

"Yes… yes, I am," Sathryon replied, his eyes glaring and his mouth frowning hard back at the figure. From the tone of voice, it sounded like a young man. "But how do you know that? And why pray tell are you interested?"

The masked man stood in a leaning posture, his eyes glowering back at his opponent through the holes in his visor. "You will die here tonight."

Sathryon scoffed and snorted. "I'm sorry?"

"You heard me."

Silence.

Selthris' eyes darted between his father and his mysteriously dressed opponent. He still couldn't shake the feeling that he knew this person somehow.

But… how…?

"Your voice… I know you," Sathryon murmured just loudly enough for the pair to hear him. His head rose as he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, as if deep in thought or remembrance. "Can it truly be…?" He asked no-one in particular, watching the masked man quietly. The nameless soldier simply stared back at him wordlessly, as if waiting for something. "No… it can't be… you shouldn't be here…" The Lord Knight murmured again, this time lowering his head as he glowered down at the masked figure.

"Are you so sure about that?" The masked man shot back, circling the Lord Knight until the two were gradually across from one another once again. Selthris' eyes again darted between the two, able to watch them both. "Your boy is out here without your consent after all." The man claimed as he turned his eyes over to regard the blinking boy in question. Selthris gasped lightly.

He did know this person.

Who was it?

"You will not gain anything from your faithless taunts. If I am correct in my suspicions…," Aselia's King replied calmly, eyes watching the man. "Then it is you who will fall here tonight."

"You sound so sure of yourself."

A corner of Sathryon's mouth upturned into a confident smirk. "I am."

The nameless warrior scoffed. "Your arrogance is boundless Sathryon," he began, glaring presumably angrily at the man. "What if you are wrong? Hm?" The man's voice seemed to reverberate across the field. "What if I run you through with my blade and then…," he began again turning his head to face the quizzically faced Selthris. "Then I run your son through," he continued, eliciting a wide-eyed gasp from the boy. The masked man's head turned back almost immediately, this time in a hardened glare. "What then?"

"You shan't even manage," Sathryon shot back, his voice dripping with confidence. "If you truly are who I suspect… then I know you well," he continued. "I trained you. I mentored you," Sathryon claimed boldly, eyes glaring back at the hateful man. "You'll have no chance no matter how strong you think you are."

"Hrm…," the masked man murmured, his eyes travelling down the silver of his blade, lit by the moonlight. He raised it alongside his eyes to scowl once more at the watching Sathryon. "We will see if there is iron in your words."

3

Selthris quivered again for the umpteenth time as the masked man and his father clashed once more, their steel blades singing against one another in the bright moonlight. He imagined Kay and George would be enjoying spectating this kind of engagement but…

"I just don't understand." He thought to himself, finishing his pondering as he shook his head. Adrenaline he could understand. Even sparring he could follow.

Not this.

The look in Sathryon's opponent's eyes and his father's; pure anger, bloodlust. He'd seen it many times before; in the bandits' eyes at Fernsworth, in the General Cain's mannerisms and even in his sister's.

Selthris blinked, his attention temporarily pulled from the engagement. Why…?

Why had his sister suddenly entered his thoughts?

Yet another deafening clang of their swords brought his mind out of his incessant pondering and he shook his head to spectate once more.

Sathryon growled as he spin-slashed in retreat and recovery, back-stepping as he did so. In contrast, the ever-glaring masked man simply whiffed a diagonal slash of his own sword as he watched, seemingly unaffected by the engagement.

"Your style hasn't changed I see," the masked man claimed boldly as he stood, leaning to the side. "I have surpassed you, Sathryon. You cannot stop me," he continued, eyes glaring hatefully at the older man. Sathryon's hard scowl twitched as he listened. "First, I will kill you… and then…," he began again as he turned his masked head over to face the narrow eyed watching Selthris. "Then I will murder what is left of your cursed clan." The nameless soldier finished, a tone of finality to his strange voice.

"The Vikeruce have lived on for generations," Sathryon shot back simply as he slowly advanced on the man, whiffing a diagonal slash of his own. "Even should you kill me… others will follow." He continued his small speech; his sword glowing a bright green as it did before in his duel with the Naerithian General Cain.

"You're like cockroaches," the nameless warrior spat back venomously. "As long as a single one of you survives you will live on like the parasites you truly are." He hissed angrily, similarly swiping his sword; a purple like aura began to encircle the blade, similar to his opponent's. Sathryon's eyes were instantly drawn to it.

"You…?! The Loptousu Blade? But then…," the gasping Lord Knight exclaimed, one of his eyebrows raising as he stopped advancing. "It is you!"

The masked man's eyes narrowed to thin slits and Sathryon could almost feel him smirk back at him before suddenly breaking into a sprint; the Lord Knight rose his own weapon in an effort to counter his opponent's. The two clashed, as expected and bright green and dark purple mashed against one another roughly, sending heated sparks of multiple colours across the field. A growing dread began to wash over the watching Selthris as he shot his arms up to block the oppressive glow the two swords gave off.

"Father!" The little Lord called through the deafening flare the blades emanated. "Get out of there!" He clamoured above the din, his fear showing through. His dread spoke to him, almost as if he knew what was going to happen before it did. The pair didn't seem to hear him and, if they did, they didn't seem to care either.

Finally, and all at once, the masked man's haze covered blade broke through the gasping Sathryon's own bright green; the blade broke into two and the Lord Knight was left defenceless.

"Now!" The masked man simply yelled, the loudest he had spoken since or ever; taken completely off guard Sathryon couldn't react. The nameless soldier's sword sunk into the wide-eyed man's chest and time seemed to stop.

For what seemed like an eternity the two were locked together; Sathryon in a defensive, weak position and his opponent in his own check-mate sort, standing over him. Selthris' own silver eyes could hardly believe the sight he was confronted with; words couldn't form in his mouth and his thoughts were left in a similar haze.

"I…," the masked man began in a slow whisper, his eyes ever glaring. "Renounce you." He hissed angrily in the silent Lord Knight's ears before suddenly ending the cacophony and yanking the now uncovered blade from his gut, covered in his victim's blood. Sathryon, still seemingly unable to speak, simply dropped wordlessly to the ground.

"No!" Selthris' final tearful call came from the side lines of the field, only just in time to catch the larger man's descent. The two fell to the ground roughly, Sathryon's grunt the first thing from his mouth since his wound.

The masked man's ever hateful glare pursued the pair as they descended painfully to the ground together.

\--

"F-Father!" Selthris' panicked call echoed as he held the man's limp body in his arms, unable to hold the two together upwards. Sathryon coughed violently, blood snaking down from his chest wound.

"S-Selthris…," the Lord Knight tried, his voice much weaker than before; less than confident. "G-Get… get away…"

"No!" The grief stricken Selthris shot back, tears staining his mixed glare. "No, I won't leave you!"

"Leave him, boy," the masked man finally spoke, his words like a hot knife through butter. Selthris' gravely fear stricken face quickly switched to initial shock as he shot his head up to face the man, finally introduced. "Now it is your turn." The masked assailant claimed boldly, glaring down at him. Once the initial shock of the intruder's words passed him Selthris' grief swiftly changed to red hot anger and he simply glared back at the man. As he raised himself, he set his father's head down softly upon the dark green of the field before unsheathing his iron sword and advancing on the man.

"What?" He hissed back angrily, a new kind of anger present in the boy.

"N-No! Selthris!" Sathryon called, his voice clearly afflicted with his earlier agony. He raised his head though not without effort and tried his best to support his position with his similarly raised left elbow. He used his free right hand as if to reach for the boy. "D-Don't!"

"Listen to your father boy," the nameless man warned quietly, his words carrying some subtle hint of anger of his own in them. "And I will make your death a merciful one."

"I'd like to see you try," Selthris suddenly hissed back angrily, almost as if prepared for the very words his new opponent spoke. The masked man simply glared back wordlessly, watching the little Lord advance on him. "Come on!" The young lad shouted as loud as he could; a battle cry of sorts however the watching warrior was less than intimidated. Selthris' clumsy diving stab was easily sidestepped; the masked fighter spun around and slammed the boy with a spinning roundhouse kick, sending him yelling and grunting to the ground. Though sprawled on the field, Selthris growled again as he forced himself back up to charge the older male once again.

"Enough of this," the masked man muttered, his eyes narrowed; he easily parried the boy's desperate lunging strike with his own blade, sending it downward before pulling the boy in via his right arm. Though worried, his anger did not leave him; Selthris' glare stayed as constant as the harsh moonlight reflecting off of it. "That's not like you," the man continued as he seemingly paused the fight, watching the angry glare on his opponent's face. "It's a good look for you." He finished, a grin evident in the tone of his voice; he yanked the boy further in only to sink his knee into the youth's chest. Selthris gasped, eyes widened and dropped his sword; he didn't even hear it clatter noisily to the ground. The masked man finished up with a swift backhand, sending the grunting Lord sprawling to the ground. As the nameless warrior approached the fallen Lord, rain began to patter down first in small droplets though quickly accelerating.

"F-Father…" Selthris murmured, crawling across the field gasping. The masked man stood over the boy, his shadow looming over the boy, seemingly glaring down at him. Selthris' attention was, again, forced back and he scowled back at the nameless man. "Go away! Leave us alone!" The weakened boy exclaimed, the rain quickly matting his spiky silver hair. The masked man raised his sword overhead, presumably as if to finish his opponent off; Selthris watched with growing fear, teeth grit and eyes widened. What felt like hours seemed to pass between the two before, finally, the man slowly retracted his sword opting instead to sheathe it. "W-Wha-?" Selthris managed out in a gulp of his own saliva, blinking in pure confusion. "Aren't you going to-?"

The masked man raised up his left hand, index and forefinger raised upwards; a clear sign of Aegir usage. A light purple aura encircled him before, finally, he disappeared like magic. Selthris was left staring at thin air, unsure what to make of the situation.

"S-Selthris…"

The named boy gasped and turned his head over to his fallen father, crawling over. "I'm here, I'm here!" The youth called out above the pattering of the rain lying next to his bloody, fallen father.

Sathryon's eyes were shut and his scowl had a look of exertion upon it. He huffed and puffed as he spoke, his strength leaving him. "I'm finished…" He began, his voice sore and as fatigued as his body.

"N-No…" Selthris whimpered, tears beginning to stain his eyes.

"Forget about… him," the dying Lord Knight ordered, his breathing laboured and painful. "Focus… on yourself… on the kingdom…," he continued, taking deep breaths. "Vengeance… only leads to blood…"

"F-Father y-you can't…!" Selthris whimpered again, crawling closer his voice cracking. "I s-still have s-so much to-"

"S-Selthris…," the Lord Knight gasped continually before finally turning his own grief-stricken eyes to his son's. "I'm sorry." He wheezed finally, the ghost of an apologetic smile on his face only a single tear rolling from his eye.

"Father…," Selthris murmured, his eyes twitching as he watched the life slowly die from his father's. "Father, wake up," he began, shaking the man's lifeless body. "N-No…," he continued, panting in a panic attack. "N-Not you…" The boy managed out, eyes rolling back, falling unconscious.


	4. Betrayal at Aselia

Chapter 4: Betrayal at Aselia  
Disturbance in Aselia Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Puzzling Truth" – Fire Emblem 9: Path of Radiance OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"His Father's Son" – Fire Emblem 9: Path of Radiance OST. Scene 2 (First Half).  
"Following Scott" – Dexter Season 4 OST. Scene 4 (First and Second Halves) and 5 (First Half).  
"Superior (DW Yasu Mix) – Dynasty Warriors Online OST. Scene 5 (Second Half).  
"Moments of Peace" – Dynasty Warriors 5 OST. Scene 6 (Second Half).  
"Stay with me… don't ever leave me alone…"

\--

The last words Selthris is able to part with before his father finally leaves the mortal coil. The masked man, seemingly a warrior of no origins, exchanged familiarities with the now deceased Sathryon. How did they know each other? Moreover, why did they fight?

Selthris can only speculate…

\--

Scene 1

"N-No… n-not you… F-"

"Father!" Selthris exclaimed, bolting upright. He gasped continually, breathing heavily. Where…?

His silvery eyes darted around the room; his bedchamber in the castle they had previously stopped off at.

"How am I…?" He murmured, eyes narrowing suspiciously and thoughtfully. His eyes widened once more however as he quickly remembered events prior.

The field.

The masked man.

His father.

Almost immediately the youth leapt out of bed, tossing the quilts from him before rushing for the door. As his hand grasped the doorknob the door suddenly pushed forward eliciting a gasp of surprise from the boy; he took a few steps back to find the similarly surprised Kay, blinking back at him. She stood over him with an initial light, soft smile almost as if she could read his thoughts.

No, don't let it be he thought.

"Hey… Sel," she began in greeting, her tone of voice unusually soft. He gulped. "How ya feelin'?"

"W-Where is-?"

"I… thought you'd ask." She interrupted awkwardly, quickly avoiding his eyesight. She turned her eyes downward from his own and he knew.

He knew what was coming.

The Lord pushed past the gasping Kay, making a break for the field however when he walked into the main lobby he immediately caught sight of the standing and presumably previously talking Ulric and George.

"Lord Selthris," Ulric greeted, turning to face the boy. He bowed as he usually did in the halls of Aselia. "I apologise; we felt it necessary to let you rest."

"Where is my father?" Selthris managed out in another gasp, his silver eyes widened in potential horror. George cringed as he watched, turning his head away and allowing his superior officer to speak.

"Ah…," Ulric began in reply, wincing similarly as he lowered his eyes as if pondering on a suitable response. He raised his head finally and put on his usual business-like frown. "The Lord Sathryon Vikeruce was defeated in single combat; this is all we found of him when we located you." The Paladin claimed as he picked up the lying broken hilt and sword that Sathryon previously carried, showing them to the young Lord. Selthris stared, eyes widened perhaps unable to find the words to respond. When his breath caught in his throat and he near spat out a surprised and fear-torn gasp, he rose his hand to cover his mouth, his body shaking.

It's not a dream, he thought.

This is really happening.

"Lord Selthris… we are all here for you in this time," George called over quietly yet firmly, a harder frown on his face than before. "Whatever you need."

Selthris' eyes lowered as he finished speaking, his thoughts a whirlwind of emotions and notions. With no more words uttered between them, the little Lord took his steps forward and left the small castle the two horsebound units watching him leave.

\--

Selthris sat on the hill he watched his father and the masked man fight just hours previous. His eyes quickly scanned the dark field, as if looking for any clues left behind; he knew it was fruitless but still.

He couldn't just leave this the way it was.

Who was that person?

Why did they seem so familiar?

Why did they have business with father?

Too many questions and no time to answer them.

"Father…," the boy murmured in another whimper, cupping his face in his hands. Finally allowed privacy and on his own, the boy allowed his tears to flow. "W-Why…?" He gasped to himself. "I'm n-not ready… I…-"

"Sel?"

The Lord gasped, eyes widening. He hastily wiped at his eyes with the silver tabard he wore before turning his head, blinking. Behind him stood the hesitantly frowning Kay, as if waiting for an invitation.

"S-Sorry." The boy chuckled good naturedly, nodding nervously as if to invite the older knight. She flashed him a light smile as before and walked toward him, dropping herself next to him, her armour clinking noisily. He exchanged a polite, light smile of his own before turning his sad frown up to face the stars above them.

"Sure is nice out tonight." The blonde Social Knight smiled, watching the inky black cloudless sky above them.

"Mm." The young Lord replied simply, his frown still evident on his face. He appreciated what she was no doubt trying to do for him but honestly, he just wanted to be by himself.

To say he was feeling overwhelmed would be an understatement.

"I get how you must be feeling," Kay continued as she turned her eyes away from the sky, watching the boy next to her. Selthris' eyes wandered away toward the lush green below him, as if to avoid the subject. "When our dad passed I had to help provide for George," she explained briefly before chuckling good humouredly. "Can you believe it? Especially the way he is now."

Selthris put on a weak smile of his own as he turned to face the young woman, unable to respond quite yet.

"Ulric-sensei was right y'know," she claimed, tilting her head at him. "We won't leave you; you're the next in line."

"I know," Selthris chuckled, his weak smile betraying his fear. It just as easily washed from his expression however as he turned his eyes skyward. "I'm sorry," he apologised, his eyes briefly shutting as he spoke. "Just walking out there; I know I'm just running."

"You don't have to apologise to us Sel," Kay chuckled, a genuine smile on her face. "We get it; it's tough," she began again. "Take it in steps; we'll support you every part of the way."

The seventeen-year-old heir turned his head back down to frown at her before shaking his head and chuckling lightly. She raised a blonde eyebrow.

"What? What's so funny?"

"If you told me I'd be in charge of Aselia and the military yesterday I wouldn't have believed you," he admitted, a humourless smile on his face. His eyes raised back up to face her. "Thanks… miss Kay."

"Nothin' to thank kid," the Social Knight grinned before quickly standing and offering the little Lord a hand up. He took it graciously. "Maybe if you put a good word in for me back in the kingdom I'll let it slide." She added jokingly, giving him a cheeky wink as she did so. Selthris couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head.

2

"I'm sorry, everyone," Selthris began as he pulled together the remaining knights; Ulric, Kay and George all stood before him watching and waiting. "I've behaved childishly and impatiently… I apologise," he continued, shutting his eyes briefly as if ashamed. His watching units simply frowned as they listened, allowing him to speak. "But I'm here now," the youth claimed, a hard frown re-set on his face and his eyes re-opened. "And I promise to give everything I have to Aselia."

Ulric responded first. He placed his right fist into his opened left palm; a sign of respect in Aselia, and lowered himself to bow and kneel at the boy's feet, his own eyes shut. As if by domino effect, the smiling Kay and George both nodded at each other before following their superior officer and repeating his actions. Though he recognised the exchange intimately, having it been done towards him was still surprising; he blinked once as he watched almost unsure how to react.

"For the land of Aselia and all its subjects…," Ulric began speaking, his voice as low as ever. "We stand by you, Lord Selthris, the true successor to Lord Sathryon," he continued before re-raising his head and frowning up at the watching boy. "In whatever you desire for Aselia… we shall never leave your side." He finished, shutting his eyes again and briefly lowering his head in another respectful bow, eliciting a similar response from the kneeling Kay and George. Selthris shifted uncomfortably in his stance, unable to make a response to their words or ceremony.

"T-Thank you," Selthris began, lowering his own eyes before re-raising them himself to face them with a light smile. The three knights all smiled back as they lifted their own heads to meet his. "Thank you all so much," he continued, a relieved laugh on his lips as he spoke. "I'm going to make mistakes and really cause problems but…," the little Lord admitted, his eyes shut once again as if in thought before re-opening them and facing the three. "With you three here I know everything'll be all right." The youth claimed, a surer smile on his countenance. The watching knights all seemed to share a similar smile of their own before, finally, they stood back up and faced him.

"Now… what is our next course of action Lord Selthris?" Ulric spoke up, his usual business-like frown ever adorned on his expression. Thankful for some normalcy from the horrible situation he was in, Selthris couldn't help but smile wanly before finally replying.

"Logic would dictate we… return to Aselia, I imagine," the Lord claimed, folding his arms thoughtfully as he re-raised his head back up to face his sub-ordinate. "What would… father do, Sir Ulric?" The boy asked plainly, a hurt expression across his countenance. Ulric visibly winced but responded regardless.

"Regrouping with the rest of the military is for the best I think," Ulric agreed, nodding. "After Lord Sathryon's engagement with General Cain in the field earlier, I think we have to be sure Aselia is at least safe."

Selthris nodded, a thoughtful frown upon his lips. He turned his inquisitive eyes over to his two Social Knights. "Sir George, Miss Kay? How about you guys?"

The two exchanged surprised looks before facing him again. "My Lord?" George requested respectfully, tilting his head curiously.

"I'm asking your opinions," Selthris chuckled out nervously, a similarly hesitant smile on his face. "What do you think we should do?"

Kay and George both exchanged another surprised frown and shrug before facing him again. "Uh, we think whatever you guys decide is A-Okay with us!" Kay grinned nervously, issuing the boy a thumbs up.

"I apologise Lord Selthris," George bowed respectfully as he always did. "Lord Sathryon rarely asked his lower units much of anything." The Social Knight admitted with a humorous chuckle; Selthris shook his head dismissingly and apologetically, also smiling.

"Sorry," the boy apologised. "I guess I'm still new at this," the youth claimed, his smile falling in favour of his frown as he lowered his head. His eyes narrowed as if in thought. "All right… then we return to Aselia," he continued, re-raising his head to face the three. "Sir Ulric… did any of you find my father's body?"

The veteran Paladin shook his head with a hard frown. "Negative Lord," he replied. "We only managed to locate your unconscious form; we rescued you and returned you to rest. That's all we found out there."

Selthris sighed lightly, turning his head away from the older man. Who would take his father's body? That masked man? Why? What for?

Too many questions…

"Lord Selthris… I feel we have to ask…," Ulric began in continuing as he frowned, as if encouraged by the listening and watching Kay and George. "What were you both doing out there?"

The Lord raised his silvery head back up and blinked, quickly accessing his memory banks in recollection.

"Um, well…," he began in reply lowering his eyes, the memory still a sore one. "Father… seemed suspicious earlier and not just once either," the Lord admitted, eyes hard and boring into the ground as if the answer lay beneath the tiles. "He went out by himself to get some air, so I wanted to go check on him," the boy claimed, re-raising his head to face the three knights. "When I did… I stumbled on an engagement."

"Engagement?" Ulric parroted, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully.

"A duel?" George offered, raising a mahogany brown eyebrow in curiosity.

Selthris nodded as he faced the Social Knight. "They… seemed to know each other, somehow."

"Who was it, did you hear a name?" Ulric pressed suspiciously, his eyes narrowed.

"No…," the boy continued, unsure. "I don't know if it was a man or a woman. Could have been either but it sounded to me like a man," he began thoughtfully, eyes of his own narrowed. "He wore a mask and Naerith colours."

Ulric, Kay and George all exchanged passing glances.

"Anyone you can think of Ulric-sensei?" George questioned.

Ulric shook his head, unsure. "No…," he replied. "We need to be absolutely certain about this before we proceed any further Lord Selthris."

"Y-Yes?"

"Are you certain he was wearing Naerith colours?" Ulric pressed further, eliciting a strained frown from the boy.

"I…," he began, wincing lightly, shaking his head and shutting his eyes. "It was dark and…," he continued, sighing through his nose. "I think I saw them; black and red."

"Perhaps we'd best sit on it for now then until we acquire more intel on the subject then," Ulric stated as he turned to face the boy. Selthris, though saddened at his lack of information, nodded in quiet agreement. "When shall we leave?"

"Um… soon as we're able, I think," the little Lord claimed before turning to face them all collectively. "Would that be okay?" He asked with a nervous laugh. "I'm anxious to return home."

"Hey, works for me!" Kay grinned as she usually did, resting her arms behind her head carefreely however when she received a hard look from her younger brother her stance almost immediately returned formal. "Uh, my Lord." She added in a guilty chuckle, her eyes facing the annoyed George.

"Very well, we leave soon; get your things!" Ulric ordered the pair; they bowed respectfully as always and left, presumably for their tools.

"Thanks Sir Ulric," Selthris said, a sad frown on his face. "I don't quite feel comfortable throwing orders around like…," he began in an initial smile however quickly fell back to a frown as he spoke the next word. "Father." He finished, his eyes following his mood downturn. Ulric paced toward the boy and smiled, placing a helpful hand on the Lord's shoulder.

"Whatever you're comfortable with," he smiled, eliciting a surprised blink from the boy. "Try not to let those two away with too much." The Paladin grinned lightly in his own humour, eliciting a surprised smile of Selthris' own.

"I won't."

\--

"Ah, the prodigal son returns."

The masked man turned himself around to find Naerith's King sitting comfortably in his throne resting his chin on his right hand. The masked man narrowed his eyes before advancing forward in the dark room.

"Did you bring what I asked for?"

He tossed a bloodied corpse effortlessly into the light of the throne room, echoing loudly in the chamber.

Sathryon Vikeruce.

The King put on a wider grin as he beheld the sight before him. "Excellent."

"Is that all?" The masked man pressed impatiently, clearly anxious to leave.

"You wound me," Naerith's King chuckled. "No pithy comeback? No… chit-chat?"

"I'm not interested in whatever you have planned for Sathryon Vikeruce," the masked man claimed as his eyes darted back down to the fallen Lord Knight. "I'd rather be in my own company."

"Hrm…," King Alpheus frowned initially before a corner of his mouth upturned. "Perhaps," he began before chuckling again. "Perhaps it is guilt, no?"

The masked man scoffed. "Surely you jest."

"He was your mentor after all… and your-"

"No, he wasn't," the nameless Naerith warrior spat back venomously, interrupting the curious King. "He thought he was…" The masked man added with a hard narrow of his eyes behind his veil, watching the fallen man in question.

"You're not even curious what I asked his body for?" Alpheus challenged, raising an amused eyebrow.

"I couldn't care less," the unnamed man spat angrily. "You know why I serve you."

"Ah, yes…," the King sighed, his wider grin falling in favour of a more relaxed one. "How is that particular assignment going?"

"You mean his son?"

"What else?" Alpheus asked, his amusement re-awakened. The masked man opted to ignore the King's impudence and carried on.

"Pathetic; nothing like his father," he claimed, his eyes wandering back down to Sathryon's corpse. "If he will become anything like him… it is a ways off from now."

"Hrm… yes," Alpheus frowned this time as he listened before sighing lightly through his nose and grinning. "Well you know what they say; like father like son. Give it enough time and you will have what you desire."

The masked man simply stared back in some seconds of silence before finally opening his mouth to respond. "Is this fine?"

"Is…?"

"The body," he clarified. "Do you want me to move it?"

"Oh that's fine," Alpheus waved the matter off with a smiling twist of his hand. "Cadil will pick him up."

The masked man's voice took a curious turn this time. "Cadil? What does he want with-"

"I thought you said you weren't interested." Alpheus shot back, a slightly wider grin on his face.

Perhaps finally taken off guard, the nameless fighter tutted angrily before tearing his eyes and head away from the man. Alpheus chuckled in victory.

"You needn't be so closed off you know," the King claimed. "I don't mind sharing details if you'd like."

"It's none of my business," the masked man muttered before turning to head off. Alpheus put on a light grin; his general opted to leave with almost no manners at all. Almost as if reading the man's mind he turned his head half-way 'round to face him. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, no," King Alpheus smirked amusedly, waving the man off with another twist of his arm. "You may go."

3

"I don't believe it…," Ulric gasped, narrowing his initially widened, surprised eyes at the sight before him. "We have to pull back, Lord Selthris." The Paladin advised, turning his head to the dismounted boy next to him. His eyes however were ever fixated on the sight before them; soldiers stood just outside the main gate leading to their city. Soldiers wearing black and red colours.

Naerith.

"No way!" Kay exclaimed angrily as she leapt off her horse walking past the Paladin. "Then we fight through!" She exclaimed again, turning to face the other three, unsheathing her steel sword. A hard look from both Ulric and George however kept her steady. "W-Why?! They've clearly encroached on our territory!" She shouted angrily, gesturing toward the faraway soldiers.

"Shh!" Ulric hushed, raising his index finger to his lips as if for effect. "We cannot afford to alert them to our position!" He added. The blonde Social Knight growled in impatient anger, turning to face the soldiers once more.

"Ulric's right," Selthris managed out as he watched the sight before him concernedly. "I mean, what if it's an invasion? We could easily be walking into a trap."

"My Lord, Ulric-sensei…," George began, pulling all three's attention. "What if we enter via the secret entrance to Aselia Castle?" The younger Social Knight offered, watching between his two superior officers. "Surely we could get a good bearing on the situation and maintain our cover?"

"That's an excellent idea George, well done," Ulric began, nodding with a small grin on his face. George smiled lightly in response and bowed respectfully. "What do you think Lord Selthris?"

"Y-Yeah," the little Lord agreed, nodding in his own worried frown as he scanned the city entrance once more. "It's definitely our best shot." He spoke, his eyes explaining the concern and worry he held.

He hoped Leo was okay.

"Then that's what we'll do!" Ulric claimed in response before turning and ushering the three toward the secret entrance. "Come!"

"My Lord, Ulric-sensei(!)" Kay mocked under her breath as she followed the three, her voice a childish re-imagining of her younger brother's.

\--

Finally inside Ulric, Kay and George all left their horses behind entering Aselia Castle through the back. Selthris filed in behind his loyal three, initially stopped by the narrow-eyed Ulric.

"We must determine it's safe." The Paladin claimed as he turned his vision across.

"Looks safe to me!" Kay grinned as she sheathed her steel sword. George gave a slow nod of approval in response.

"Yes, no enemies in the nearby vicinity."

"All right." Ulric nodded upwards, eliciting the small Selthris to walk in quietly.

"It's… different somehow," Kay murmured as she watched between the corridors. "Maybe it's something in the air?"

"I know what you mean sister," George agreed, turning to nod. "Feels like a foreboding sense of vertigo or something."

"Just… stay on the lookout and that goes for you too Lord Selthris." The Paladin claimed as he turned to temporarily face the boy. Selthris simply nodded in his simple frown before double taking as he returned his eyes to the front.

A dark figure dropped from the ceiling, landing close to their position. They raised their head to face them; a young male, shaved head and seemingly very plain looking. His chestnut brown eyes widened as they darted between each of the party, shocked.

"Uh oh." He only uttered, a worried tone to his voice.

"Catch him!" Ulric ordered, going for his own weapons.

Though George took off in pursuit, only Kay's fast acting leap caught the cloaked youth. He exclaimed in pain as they fell to the ground together and Kay grinned as she held the young man's head in her arms roughly.

"Got him!" The proud blonde grinned, eliciting an annoyed roll of George's eyes and a happy smiling nod from her superior.

"Good, well done." Ulric began as he paced forward.

"Argh, get off me!" The nameless youth exclaimed angrily as he flailed wildly under the young woman's grip.

"Only if you say the magic word." She sing-songed cheekily, a confident smirk on her face.

"It's all right, let him go." Ulric nodded as he folded his arms over the two. Kay grinned and let go, effortlessly standing back up and dusting herself off. When she received a raised eyebrow and a look from her brother she shrugged.

"What?" She shot back, an annoyed frown on her own face. Selthris couldn't help but smile lightly watching them.

"What is your name?" Ulric demanded, this time with an interrogative hard frown. The cloaked, nameless youth simply sat up, took one look at the four above him and turned his head away from them, seemingly in anger.

"Hmph!" He simply exclaimed.

"Hey, speak up kid," Kay spoke up as she cracked her knuckled menacingly, glaring down at the young man. He turned to face her with a raised eyebrow. "We can't hear you." She warned, eliciting a roll of her brother's eyes once more.

"Screw you," the nameless youth shot back cheekily, eliciting an initially surprised frown from the young woman before, suddenly she bolted for the man. George sighed as he grabbed her, holding her back. "And you," he directed this time to the busy George. "I ain't tellin' you four shit." The cloaked man claimed, exchanging his hard look between the watching Ulric and Selthris. Ulric sighed as he turned around, arms folded joined by his superior.

"Well, Lord Selthris? What now?" The Paladin asked, unsure. "We could interrogate him but… even as we are we are in unfamiliar territory."

Selthris lowered his head, one of his hands resting on his chin, the other used to prop it up. He turned to face the glaring man behind him before suddenly turning and advancing on him. Ulric watched with concern.

"Lord Selthris?" He called over unsuccessfully as the three all watched.

"I'm sorry," Selthris apologised as he knelt to join the glaring male. "We didn't mean to cause any offence but…," the Lord began, his silvery eyes sad as he lowered his head. The nameless youth raised a curious eyebrow, perhaps unsure what to make of his talking partner. "We need your help."

"My help?" The cloaked man parroted, blinking.

Selthris nodded gravely. "This is our castle and there's Naerith soldiers everywhere. We have no idea what's happened."

"You're not serious are ya?" The youth asked incredulously, as if disbelieving the small group. A simple nod from each of the watching members set the young man to continue. "Have you been livin' under a rock or somethin'?" He chuckled, a small grin on his face.

"Please," Selthris pleaded, bowed his head to the youth as a sign of respect. "We need information, badly."

"L-Lord Selthris!" George exclaimed, extending a hand forward as if to stop him.

"My Lord, you mustn't-"

"That doesn't matter right now!" Kay suddenly exclaimed, calling the attention of her comrades. "Can't you see? We're down a hole, Selthris is right; we need all the help we can get." The young woman claimed boldly, folding her arms as she did so. George stared at her, perhaps surprised while Ulric simply sighed, issuing a nod in response.

"Yes… yes I know." He acceded with a nod of reluctant agreement.

Perhaps sensing the atmosphere the small group were carrying the cloaked youth's grin fell from his face this time in favour of a serious frown. He turned his eyes down to face the bowing Selthris and opened his mouth again to speak.

"I'm… Sabine," he introduced himself with some nervousness. Selthris raised his silvery head and blinked with surprise at his seemingly new companion; his hand was outstretched clearly for a greeting shake. "Well?!" The now named youth exclaimed angrily, a blush upon his cheeks.

"A-Ah! S-Sorry!" The little Lord gasped before taking the older man's hand in his own, shaking it. "I'm Selthris."

"Vikeruce?" Sabine requested, narrowing his eyes lightly at the younger male.

"A-Ah y-yes," the silver haired noble responded with a nod. "We've only just returned."

"Right fuckin' mess you're in now." Sabine muttered as he raised himself, dusting himself off as he did so.

"How dare you talk to my lord like that?!" Ulric exclaimed unsheathing his steel sword and pointing it threateningly at the watching Sabine. He simply stared back, unimpressed.

"N-No, it's okay Sir Ulric!" Selthris interrupted, resting a hand down softly on the older warrior's blade. "It's okay." He repeated softer this time and with a light smile. Ulric stared with some concern however did as requested and returned his sword. Selthris turned to face his new companion and smiled once more.

"Can you tell us what's happened?" He asked. "I have friends in there; I have no idea if it's safe to-"

"It isn't," Sabine interrupted, a hard frown on his own face as he tilted his head. Selthris gasped though remained quiet to allow him to continue. "Naerith suddenly made a break for it; there was little to no defending force out there. It was like takin' candy from a baby."

"Watch your tongue knave." Ulric growled behind his lord, eyes boring holes into the youth.

"Sir Ulric, please," Selthris pleaded with a light sigh. Ulric lowered his head in agreement and apology, remaining silent. "Please continue Sir Sabine."

"Uh, well, anyway," the youth began, scratching at his chin as if in thought. "It's… pretty bad," he explained briefly. "Aselia is all but conquered."

"But… how?!" Kay interrupted, unfolding her arms and sending them both out to her sides, as if to emphasise her confusion. "We only took Lord Sathryon and ourselves out from-"

"That's what the city's saying," Sabine interrupted in response, facing the blonde Social Knight. "Naerith's numbers were simply too great; they used the opportunity to infiltrate and take the capital."

"The duel!" George hissed, his eyes darting between Kay and Ulric. "Think about it Ulric-sensei!" He pleaded, narrowing his eyes. "That was their true goal!"

"In his tenure as King, Lord Sathryon has never failed defending an attack," Ulric responded, taking his chin in his hands thoughtfully. "Even with inferior numbers we have succeeded time and time again… it makes sense." The man claimed, nodding.

"So, they think they can take us now that we've lost Lord Sathryon?" Kay added before chuckling and slamming her fist in her armoured hand. "They gonna get fucked," she grinned, eliciting a disapproving frown from both George and Ulric. "Uh, I mean, beat." The blonde chuckled nervously as she adjusted her stance, raising her hand to rest behind her head.

"So…," Ulric began in response, turning his head to face Sabine's, clearly directing his words toward their new companion. "You thought you'd loot in the confusion, did you?" The Paladin interrogated disapprovingly, one of his eyebrows narrowed harshly at the youth. This time, Sabine avoided the man's eyesight and turned his head away.

"Uh…"

"I knew it!" Kay exclaimed, pointing at the youth angrily. "Thief!"

"Wait…," Selthris interrupted softly, raising a hand upward. "This… could be good."

"Lord?" George asked, puzzled.

"Ah, I see," Ulric said knowingly, nodding. "You think to utilise his skillset… don't you?"

"Yes," Selthris answered, turning to face the Paladin. "I think if he truly is a locksmith then we can at least rescue some of our companions, maybe even some extra arms."

"Can we… trust him?" Kay asked, a lower tone of voice than usual as she scanned her eyes across the area. Ulric, Selthris, Kay and George all exchanged unsure looks.

"We have to," Selthris finally added before turning again to face the watching and listening Sabine. "We don't have the luxury of choice at our disposal."

"Smart kid," Sabine smirked, folding his arms. "I want half of whatever we find."

"I'll give ya half." Kay growled as she took a warning step towards the flinching youth.

"Five percent of the intake." Selthris offered, his silver eyes narrowed forward.

"Forty percent."

"Ten."

"Thirty!" Sabine exclaimed angrily, eyes narrowed forward.

"Fifteen." Selthris shot back, eyes similarly glaring.

Silence.

"Twenty." The two finally agreed together, speaking simultaneously as they raised their hands and shook on their words. An amused Kay watched with a grin, issuing a pointing thumb toward the exchange, eliciting a rolled eye light smile from her younger brother.

"Now that we have an accord…," Ulric began, taking a step forward between the two. "What's our plan?"

"Well, you guys wanna rescue your friends, right?" Sabine asked curiously, raising an eyebrow as he did so. "They'll be down in the dungeons; I heard some commotion down there."

"Makes sense." Kay agreed with quietly, shrugging at the listening George next to her.

"What are the numbers like?" Selthris questioned curiously, narrowing his eyes this time in thought.

"Just a few guards stationed around here, not many," Sabine explained, folding his arms. "I imagine they'll shout to kingdom come if they see us though."

"So we move with stealth then." George responded as he paced to join the group, followed by his older sister.

"Why can't we just blast through 'em?" Kay offered, an impatient tone to her voice.

"If we rush, Kay then our rescue will be for naught," Ulric answered roughly and quickly, turning to face the youth. "If they hear us Narga only knows what they'll do to them in the dungeon." He continued, eliciting a knowing cringe from the young woman. "Keep your head on straight soldier; we have to be careful." He emphasised.

"Agreed," Selthris nodded thoughtfully, his eyes staring at the ground. "I don't have a problem sneaking around; I know this area pretty well."

"As do we," Ulric noted as he turned his eyes around the corridors of the inside of the castle. "If worse comes to worst then we will defend you with our lives Lord Selthris." He claimed, placing a dutiful hand across his chest as if for emphasis. Kay and George bowed respectfully, giving similar commendation.

"I know," Selthris smiled, turning his eyes to each member. "Thanks guy," the Lord chuckled before turning again to face the frowning Sabine with a frown of his own. "Okay… let's do this!"

4

"Sick of this…," Gerard muttered for the umpteenth time as he paced around the cell, kicking at the tiles and dirt below him. "We need to get out of here…"

"I know Gerard," Leo responded with an exasperated sigh from across the cell, sitting on some sacks left in the front right. He rested his right cheek in his right hand, turning his head to face the impatient Knight behind him. "I know." He chuckled good naturedly, smiling this time. Gerard turned to face the Mercenary with a hard, annoyed look.

"While we languish in here Lord Sathryon, Lord Staciel and Lord Selthris… what if they're in trouble?" The Knight exclaimed angrily, clenching his fists in his show of passion.

"Believe me Gerard, I know," Leo repeated for the third time, chuckling again as he turned back to the cell bars, watching the damp drops of water fall from the ceiling. "I'm sure Ulric and the dynamic duo are at least with them though." He added with a more relaxed smile.

"I wish I had your patience," Gerard muttered, folding his armoured arms and returning to his pacing once again. "They could all be dead out there for all we know." He added, his armour clinking noisily in the cell.

"Somehow, I bet they're not," Leo replied, a strange grin upon his face as he spoke. Gerard, his attention bought once more, turned his face around raising an eyebrow. "If I know 'em like I do… they're still out there," the Mercenary grinned almost knowingly before turning to face the blinking Knight. "Have a little faith in 'em, huh?" He added in his confident grin before turning his head back. Gerard stared after the younger man before shaking his head and sighing, opting to pace around once more.

\--

"Okay… go." Selthris whispered, standing close to the wall and gesturing forth towards the recently unlocked room that Sabine had just opened for them. Ulric, Kay and George followed under his orders before, finally, the edgy eyed Lord filed in behind them. Just as they had previously deduced, inside was the arms room.

"Excellent!" Kay exclaimed happily, a grin on her face. However when she received a hard look from her superiors she rolled her eyes. "Sorry." She apologised.

"Most of it is still here; looks as if we're early." Ulric claimed, eyeing the blades and weapons all on for show and in their crates below them.

"Longswords, Poleaxes, Knight Killers, Killer Bows...," George began as he walked between the multitude of colourful weapons before finally turning and nodding at the watching Ulric, Kay and Selthris. "Yep; it's definitely all here."

"So then what's their end-game?" Selthris murmured in thought, lowering his eyes.

"Yoink!" Sabine grinned as he plucked one of the Killer Bows from the allotment above.

"Hey!" Kay exclaimed, clearly annoyed at the young man's lack of manners.

"It's okay Miss Kay," Selthris frowned, stepping in as judge between them. "We did promise him a sum after all."

"Yeah, listen to your lord huh?" Sabine smirked smugly, spinning the Killer Bow around his hand before resting it behind on his back. He reached down to collect some arrows for the apparatus.

"You can use those arrows to help us," Ulric pointed out with a hard frown. The cloaked youth turned his shaved head to frown at the Paladin behind him. "It's your turn to uphold your part of the deal."

"Yeah, I gotcha," the thief said, putting on a grin as he affixed a quiver to his back with the use of a belt. "The dungeons are just down the ways, can't miss it."

"All right…," Ulric began with a nod. "Pick all that you can, all that's useful; we won't be back for a while." The Paladin called; Kay, George and Selthris all nodded, grabbing whatever they could use.

As they left the arms room, Selthris' silvery eyes kept scanning the area for any soldiers or guards.

Unusually quiet.

"What's going on…?" He murmured aloud, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What's wrong, Lord Selthris?" Ulric questioned quietly as they snuck together.

"It's…"

"Too quiet," Sabine interrupted, a louder tone of voice than the two Aselian natives, successfully pulling their attention. "I don't like this."

"You think it's a trap?" Kay asked, directing her question instead toward the hard-frowning Ulric and Selthris.

"Lord Selthris?" George spoke up finally as he turned his head around, unsure.

Selthris remained quiet as he looked around the corridors of the inside of the castle, as if scanning for some sense of normalcy before finally responding. "We can't stop now," he admitted, shaking his head. "We move ahead as planned."

"That-a-boy." Kay grinned quietly before turning her own head back and continuing along with the rest of the small group.

"Stay on the alert." Ulric advised, his own eyes scanning the area suspiciously.

5

"I swear if we don't get out of here soon…," Gerard muttered aloud again for the umpteenth time, shaking his head in his folded armed frowned expression. He turned on his heel in his pacing, wrinkling the neatly trimmed beard on his face as he did so. "Then I'm gonna go ins-"

"Sh!" Leo suddenly requested, his eyes focusing and head tilted to the side toward the exit. Gerard, his curiosity piqued, raised a curious eyebrow and walked further forward. He traced the young man's eyesight, finding nothing out of the ordinary. "You hear that?" The young Mercenary asked as he turned to face the Knight, a suspicious glare in his countenance.

Gerard blinked. "N-No…," he began, eliciting the youth to turn his eyes back. "What'd you… hear?"

As if in reply, the doors to the dungeon opened with a vociferous clang, echoing loudly across the walls of the prison.

"Shit!" Gerard cursed, eyes widened as he turned to exchange a worried look with the sitting Leo. The two could only stay as they were in waiting for the inevitable end, nerves steeled and bodies hard. The intruders' footsteps echoed in the dingy dungeon, eliciting the pair to glare forward, awaiting their fate.

Finally, and all at once, their eyes were greeted with their former companions; a grinning Kay and ever frowning George snuck next to an unknown cloaked youth. Following behind them was the hard-frowning pair; Ulric and Selthris watching each other's backs.

"Selthris!" Leo exclaimed suddenly, his tone mixed with surprise and relief. The Lord's attention was pulled and he snapped his head 'round to blink once before smiling genuinely for the first time in a long time.

"Leo," the silver haired youth smiled before running his eyes over the shock faced Knight next to him. "Sir Gerard!" The young Lord smiled again, eliciting a shake of the Knight's head.

"W-What's…?" He only gasped out.

"Quickly now," Ulric urged, sword drawn behind the rest of them as if waiting for some sort of calamity. "We cannot idle here."

"Yeah, yeah I'm on it," the unnamed, cloaked youth muttered as he bent down to presumably pick the lock to the cell they stood outside of. "There!" He hissed aloud, an audible lock sounding before he pushed the door aside successfully opening it. Leo turned to Gerard with a wink and nodded toward the exit as he left, eliciting the Knight to follow wordlessly.

"Anyone else down here?" George questioned the familiar two.

"Nah," Leo admitted, a sombre frown this time upon his face. "Most of the soldiers are dead, captive or defected."

"Cowards!" Kay cursed angrily as she stuck her fist in her hand once more.

"Pathetic…," Ulric muttered aloud, his eyes ever scanning. "The minute Lord Sathryon leaves Aselia goes to the dogs."

"Where is Lord Sathryon?" Gerard finally spoke, raising a curious eyebrow. The two Social Knights exchanged a similar look with the listening Ulric before Selthris finally turned his head around and frowned back at him, a familiar sad look through his eyes. Leo turned his head away, perhaps already knowing simply through the atmosphere.

"He's dead."

"D-Dead?" Gerard parroted with a shocked gasp, eyes widened. "B-But-"

"Look, we don't have time for this," Leo interrupted suddenly. "Time's against us, right?" He simply stated, eliciting a thanking smile from the young Vikeruce heir.

"Correct," Ulric agreed. "Who knows when they'll come b-"

As if on the man's words, the doors to the prison once again burst open this time even more louder if that were possible. The now conjoined group of six snapped their eyes and heads around to find three figures standing in the torch's light, advancing on them. Two were simple low-level soldiers, perhaps guards dressed in Naerith colours and the man in the middle seemed to be more important; dressed in stronger looking armour and carrying a steel lance.

"There you are," the man spoke loudly behind his helm, the chamber echoing his words. "Selthris Vikeruce, the last of the clan."

"The last…?" Selthris mouthed to himself, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

If he was the last then…

"Allow me to introduce myself," the Naerithian Knight spoke before raising his hands and removing his helm. He held it to his side as he smiled smugly over at them. "My name is Gruda," he began with a light grin. "And I am in charge of this sector."

"Sel? What are we gonna do?" Kay whispered as she leant her head down next to the narrow-eyed Lord. Selthris watched the man suspiciously, looking for any kind of way out.

Unfortunately, it was past him.

"Oh, I assure you all you are trapped," the newly introduced Gruda chuckled once before narrowing his own eyes and scowling. "Like rats." He finalised with a hateful hiss.

"Lord Selthris, orders?" Ulric questioned urgently, eyes stayed on the three men before them. Selthris, still remaining quiet, had his hard look twitch from the worried thoughts infesting his head.

"I don't know…," the Lord admitted with an annoyed grunt. "It looks as if we're going to have to fight."

"That I can do." Kay grinned as she unsheathed her steel sword.

\--

"You wish to fight?" Gruda called down toward them, raising a curious eyebrow. "You will die here today if that is your intention," he continued, watching the group. Ulric quickly tossed the gasping Gerard an iron lance as Selthris passed the thankful Leo an iron sword, fresh from the armoury. The watching and curious Sabine reached for his Killer Bow taking an arrow from the quiver on his belt. "I see…," Gruda murmured, a lower tone of voice this time as he raised his head toward the small group. "Then die you shall. Men?" He began, turning his head around as if speaking to further soldiers. The doors burst open, revealing further guards, all dressed similarly to the two at the Knight's side. Gruda turned and began to leave before rotating his head around with a hard-eyed glare. "Kill them."

Selthris gasped as he barely avoided the clumsy Soldier's lunging stab attack, merely whiffing the air with it. A critical arrow shot by the hiding Sabine behind him made the Lord's eyes dart between the two; the Soldier yelled in pain as he dropped to the ground, the arrow's critical hit stuck well in his throat. The little Lord exchanged his surprised frown with the supposed thief's confident grin.

Allies can come in strange places, he thought.

"We fight then!" Ulric insisted, his voice reverberating roughly in the small prison-like chamber; he pulled his steel lance from his inventory and focused toward the roaring soldiers in front of him.

"Yeah get behind us Sel!" Kay exclaimed, pulling an iron lance to prepare for the inevitable confrontation.

"Come now sister!" George shot back, the smallest of grins growing on his expression as he pulled his own iron lance. "Time on the bench would make a man dull!"

"Yeah, wouldn't want ya fallin' behind me now would ya?" Leo added in, a cheeky grin on his face as he did so. Selthris couldn't help chuckling, a genuine grin of his own upon his usually sombre expression.

"Indeed!" He agreed before turning his face back to the frontlines and unsheathing his iron sword. "All units!" He began, eliciting a knowing grin from his listening allies. "Press the attack!"

With Gerard, George and Ulric all up front with their high physical defences, the small group managed to easily handle numbers through the small opening they were so generously given. Even as each member took punishment from the guards all wielding steel lances, they were quickly switched in with the speedy Selthris, the hardy Leo and the aggressive Kay; a formidable defence strategy, all the while provided support by the Archer Sabine, constantly picking off those that were too weak to counterattack.

"Now!" Leo exclaimed, a grin on his face as he tossed his iron sword high up into the air. The last Soldier ahead watched, transfixed on the youth, a worried grit of his teeth. He rose up his shield in preparation and scrunched shut his eyes in fear of the oncoming attack however Leo turned a strange shade of red; clearly a critical strike.

With a deft forward flip, he effortlessly caught the similarly spinning sword before swiftly plummeting down with a vertical strike. The attack was so effective, the poor Soldier gasped as his full defence was shattered, his shield clanging noisily across the ground. As if previously planned, the young Mercenary turned his head 'round with a grin.

"Now Sel!"

At his close friend's urging, the silver haired speedster shot out from between the defending Gerard and Ulric. He sent the iron sword he carried deep into the yelling Soldier's undefended lower torso in an effortless thrust. Just as his companion did, Selthris grew a red glow; a critical follow up. Yanking the blade back out he finished the attack with a spinning slash attack his attack intensity tripled. The Soldier exclaimed painfully as he was sent sailing back the way he came, rolling across the tiled floor roughly. Leo couldn't help but chuckle and issued his best friend a wink and an encouraging thumb up in response.

"Just like before!" The older Mercenary grinned confidently before raising his hand upward. "Critical five!"

Selthris, now relaxed from his attack previously, stood back up to attention and smiled before acquiescing to his close friend's request. The two shared a nostalgic high five as their allies watched on.

"Well done!" Ulric complimented, turning his eyes and his words on each member of the small force. "Not only did you all fight higher numbers but you all performed excellently in doing it," he continued, eliciting prideful beams from a number of them. Kay and Sabine in particular couldn't help but grin at the older man. "Now… further orders, Lord Selthris?"

The little Lord, surprised, turned his head 'round blinking. "O-Oh, yeah…," he began, lowering his eyes before re-raising his head. "Maybe it'd be best if we leave."

"Why can't we just press the attack?" Leo offered with a hopeful shrug, resting his iron sword across his shoulders. "We could re-take this sector and even gain access to some food.

"It's certainly tempting." George agreed quietly, placing a thoughtful hand upon his chin.

"If we do this we'll be left open," Ulric pointed out as he stepped into the discussion, eyes narrowed. "Whatever we decide we place both feet in; we don't do it half-heartedly."

"Then we press the attack." Selthris simply replied with, a hard frown of his own on his face.

"Are you sure?" George asked, raising a dark blonde eyebrow.

"Yeah," the Lord nodded in acknowledgement. "They'll no doubt be waiting for us at the exit anyway."

"Good point." Kay chuckled, a light grin on her features.

"Shouldn't we go by the armoury one last time?" Sabine shot in with, surprising the rest of the Aselian force. They all turned to face him, clearly the odd one out. He shrugged, suddenly feeling their stares. "W-What?"

"That's not a bad idea," Ulric murmured before turning to the youth in charge. "What do you say Lord Selthris? We could carry more provisions and help Gerard and Leo suit up."

"Yeah, sounds good, let's do it," the Lord agreed, nodding. "All units, let's move out!"

6

"I don't like this silence," Gruda admitted as he turned his initially impatient frown into an impudent scowl. "Perhaps we should-"

"Over there!" The lowly soldier next to him exclaimed suddenly, thrusting an armoured finger forward. The Knight's eyes widened temporarily before squinting forward, only to find a small group of soldiers approaching from the armoury room.

"Rats," the Naerithian Knight muttered angrily, his eyes narrowing this time in anger. "How could they best our elite guard so easily? There's not a mark among them."

"Perhaps they're smarter than we thought?" The foot soldier next to him uttered, eliciting a hard-eyed glare from his superior. "Or not." He added in a nervous chuckle.

"We're talking about the same fools that took Cain's bait," Gruda scoffed as he watched them approach. "I am more than enough for every five of them," he continued, a tone of superiority to his claim. Finally, as the band approached he lost the frown and reacquired the earlier smirk he wore. "So! Against all odds you have returned," he began again before chuckling and folding his armoured arms at them. "Do you truly think to prevail here?" The man asked incredulously, a tone of actual surprise in his voice. The watching Aselian force all stared back with a hard look of their own etched into their eyes. "You have no clue," the Knight chortled. "Without your king you're simply lambs to the slaughter."

"Stand aside." Selthris suddenly spoke up, gripping his iron sword tightly in his right hand.

Gruda laughed, this time a bit more audibly than last time. "You're not serious?"

He nodded in response. "I am."

"Well I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you," the Knight simply shot back, a cheeky smirk on his face as he unfolded his arms and took his steel lance out. "Vae Victis!" He exclaimed, his words reverberating across the castle walls. "Old Naerith tongue." He added in a low chuckle.

"Woe to the Conquered, huh?" Sabine spoke up from the back, eliciting the surprised response of the listening Gruda.

"Yes!" He responded, surprised. "Well done, yes, woe to the conquered. It seems not all of you are witless fools after all."

The Aselian force merely seemed to glare back at him wordlessly. Gruda stared back in kind before turning his eyes over to the gulping single guard next to him.

"No more need for words, hrm?" The Knight simply chuckled, reaching down into the rest of his inventory. The small Aselian group all gradually stepped aside from one another, as if to grant one another space. Gruda's eyes darted between each of them, as if looking for a weak spot. Seemingly unable to find one, the man growled angrily before suddenly pulling out a javelin and tossing it at them.

Selthris' eyes widened as he caught the javelin's sight headed toward him; with deft speed and footwork the youth tapped into his Aegir and leapt up catching the weapon with his foot. He stepped and leapt off the bulleting javelin before executing a forward flip and pulling out his rapier and plummeted down for the wide-eyed Knight.

"What?!" Gruda exclaimed, shocked.

"Aegir Art; Lightning Cleave!" The young Lord clamoured, his rapier held with both hands as he dropped. A lightning infused aura encased the sword, his hands and feet similarly wrapped in an earthly glow of Aegir. As the rapier descended down, Gruda's steel lance held upward in an attempt to block the attack however as they clashed it was apparent, even as muscled as he was, the lightning infusion seemed to be too much for him. The lance gave way and snapped in two, eliciting a horrified exclamation of terror from the watching Knight.

"N-No!"

"Hyatt!" Selthris barked out in battle cry, his adrenaline running high; the Lord pulled back his lightning infused sword and thrust it forward at the Knight's undefended torso.

KCH

The two stood frozen together; Gruda in his wide eyed defensive stance, gripping the blade stuck into him. Selthris stood with his weapon held in his left hand this time, his body leant to the side as he simply frowned back at the Knight. Gruda raised his blood covered hands and his head up shakily, teeth grit from the pain. Blood trickled from the man's mouth as he scowled back at the hard faced Selthris, perhaps unable to believe his situation.

\--

"Aselian… dog!" The Knight gave his final grunt before falling forward, forcing the young Lord to tug the rapier from his torso, allowing him to drop the ground face first.

Selthris was given what felt like hours to simply stand there and stare at his fallen opponent, a hard regret lingering at his heart.

I'm sorry he thought, a sad frown emboldened on his sorrowful expression.

"What a shot!" Leo's ever enthusiastic exclaim sounded him out of his own world. The Lord gasped and turned back to find the small group all mostly smiling back at him. "Didn't even need us!" The Mercenary laughed infectiously, a big grin upon his face.

"I gotta agree; that was amazing," Kay agreed, sheathing her weapon and folding her arms. "For a second it was like looking at-"

"Lord Sathryon." George nodded, again in agreement a light smile on his face. Selthris' smile took a sadder turn as he lowered his eyes away from the small group.

"You did well," Ulric smiled genuinely as he paced towards the boy and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder, pulling his attention upward. "He would have been proud."

"Are we gonna leave?" Sabine's sudden interruption called from across the room. The group turned their heads to find him standing next to the exit, where the Naerithian Knight had previously been. "Come on!"

As if emboldened by the Archer's words, the group murmured between themselves before following wordlessly behind him. Leo ringed an arm 'round the frowning Selthris' neck in a brotherly show of affection, eliciting a surprised blink from the boy.

"You gotta slow down Sel!" He requested, a cheeky grin ever planted on his face. "Or you'll get further 'n me!"

The Lord could only help but to smile at his friend's words however, as Ulric called the Mercenary and the others further on, he gave him one last grin before rushing off to catch up. Selthris stopped moving as he came to the exit and turned around to give the castle one last look.

How quickly things had spiralled, he thought.

A peaceful iron-clad rule instilled by his father had easily come crashing down as quickly as one would go for a morning stroll.

He shook his head of any further negative thoughts and turned back toward following his companions, eyes narrowed.

Time to fix this, he thought.


	5. Disturbance in Highwood

Chapter 5: Disturbance in Highwood; Fight off the Naerith Menace!  
Naerithian Pursuit Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Uncharted Fates" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Cold Wind in My Mind" – Black Lagoon OST. Scene 1 (First Half).  
"Wonderful Pirates" – Fire Emblem 9: Path of Radiance OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).  
"Hidden Will to Fight" – Naruto Part II OST. Scene 3 (First Half).  
"The Decisive Battle – Arrange from FF6" – Dissidia 012 OST. Scene 4 (Second Half).

\--

Finally, a light at the end of the tunnel; Selthris is given a very small reprieve in the form of his former allies Leo Evans and Gerard Darkio. He finds his vassals locked up in the Aselian castle walls and discovers Naerith had laid siege to their homeland in their previous absence.

On his advisors' words, Selthris agrees to hide their small force and wait for their eventual time to strike back. While he languishes in boredom and plain sight, his thoughts cannot help but drift ever surely back to that fateful moment with the mysterious masked man.

Who was he? How did he and his father know one another? Furthermore, how did he seem to know him?

Unfortunately for Selthris however, he is given little time to ponder on these events as yet another interruption has forced his hand…

\--

Scene 1

"Jeez Sel can't you lift stuff yet?" Leo laughed good heartedly, eliciting a light wince from the young Lord. Selthris gasped as he put the crate down, panting as he put the crate down carefully to avoid breaking anything. The disguised Mercenary grinned as he leaned down and easily grasped the supposedly heavy box his close friend couldn't, leaving it on top of the one he already carried.

"I'm sorry," the Lord admitted with an apologetic wince, joining his hands together in a show of habit. "I'm not… used to this."

"I know," Leo chuckled, ever accommodating. He nodded his head upward, toward the source of the loud cutting. "Still used to the castle life huh?" He asked, raising an amused eyebrow as the youth walked alongside him. They both wore contrasting casual peasant clothes as opposed to their former battle attire. Selthris' usually wild and spiky silver hair was dyed simple brown and forced down to prevent recognition.

"You could say that." He admitted, a happy smile on his face as he approached the source of the noise. Their destination finally reached, Leo grunted as he placed down the two crates next to the hard-working man. His attention garnered, he turned from his axe and raised an eyebrow; a young man perhaps around the same age as George and Kay. A well fit man his muscles obviously showed, his top half exposed perhaps due to the heat and the work he undertook; chopping wood. He put his hatchet down and frowned at the two.

"There ya go Edgar!" Leo grinned, placing a hand on his hip as he gestured down to the crates of wood.

"Thanks," the older male merely grunted back in his hard frown before returning to his work. "This'll keep me busy."

"Yeah I bet." Leo chuckled, folding his arms as he raised an eyebrow perhaps impressed at his handiwork. Before Selthris could add anything to the conversation however he caught the sound of bustling not far from their position. Leo's attention grabbed also, the Mercenary narrowed his eyes upward and the two youths were given a small show. An old peddler, a member of the village as they recognised, seemed to be hassled by two men wearing crimson and ebony.

Naerith occupancy forces.

While Selthris stared sadly at the situation, unable to help, Leo instead growled angrily. "Assholes," he muttered angrily, his arms folded. "What'd he ever do to them?"

"He was in their way," Edgar spoke up as he ran his hatchet down upon the next log of wood on his workstation. His focused eyes never left their place as he continued. "That's the way these Naerith types work."

"Yeah, well it's just wrong," Leo disagreed respectfully but not without his usual vigour. "They should at least treat us with some respect."

"You're still young, aren'tcha?" Edgar replied, a lightly amused grin on his features as he raised his eyes to watch the youth. Leo blinked down at him, his curiosity grabbed once more. "My parents told me all about this; a country that loses a war isn't even treated as human," he explained briefly, slamming his hatchet down on the next log of wood on his station, as if for effect. "It's the ultimate betrayal of the royal family." He added, his words unintentionally directed at the listening and cringing Selthris. Leo noticed; he frowned but shook his head at the boy, as if to reassure him.

"Hey boys!"

Selthris gasped in surprise whereas the lightly frowning Leo quickly turned his own curious blink into a similar grin; the ever-enthusiastic faced Kay stood in between the two, her hands ringed 'round the pair affectionately. Like them, she also wore simple peasant clothing to hide her identity, her long blonde hair hanging down.

"'Sup?" Leo simply shot back, a light grin on his own face.

"Not much just hangin' around," the ever-casual knight grinned happily before raising a curious blonde eyebrow forward at the sight before them. "What's going on?"

"Naerith," Selthris spoke up sadly, frowning forward. "We should…"

"Do something about it?" The Social Knight interrupted, a sad smile of her own on her expression as she faced the boy below her. Selthris' initial surprised frown turned to a sad, knowing gloom. "I know kid," she murmured as she watched the old man be bullied not far from their position.

"What can you do?" Edgar spoke up suddenly as he ran his hatchet across the small log on his work station, eyes narrowed. The listening three turned their eyes downward as he continued. "We're just one person, each of us," the woodcutter claimed sorrowfully as he twirled his tool around, a habit of his work. "Ain't nothin' we can do."

Once again Selthris felt the same guilt and regret panging at his heart as he listened to the older man's words. He wanted so bad to help his outlook, help the old man, help his people and yet there was always something.

Always something.

"I don't believe we've met." Kay interrupted suddenly as she wrenched her arms from the surprised boys, flashing the woodcutter a grin as she walked forward, eliciting a watching chuckle from Leo.

"She wastes no time huh." The Mercenary grinned, evoking a small smile from the listening and watching Selthris.

At least some things never change, he thought.

\--

"Is this where it is?" The burly man grunted as he narrowed his eyes down the large mountain they climbed.

The leader, an even more muscled warrior squinted downward, as if to confirm. "Yeah," he nodded finally, pulling his eyes back. "This is where he told us it was."

"Fuckin' weirdo in the mask," his companion muttered, perhaps annoyed. "I don't see why we gotta listen to that weirdo."

"'Cause we gettin' gold motherfucker, that's why!" The axe toting powerhouse yelled at his subordinate angrily before turning his hard-eyed glare on the village below. "And besides, who's to say we don't get anythin' extra from this little venture, eh?" He offered quietly, a light smirk on his face. His companion's initially fearful frown quickly switched to a mouth-watering hungry grin.

"Aw yeah I like the sound of that."

"Come on men, let's give 'em somethin' to remember!" The leader called, throwing his words over his shoulder before rushing down the mountain. As if summoned purely by his words, a sizeable force of men followed the two down the trail.

2

Selthris frowned sadly as he procured the broken blade his father once wielded on Dracolius' plains. The toughest and greatest broadsword that Aselia had seen; a relic from the days of Dracolius' Continental Divide. The little Lord put on a small smile as he remembered his days in the classroom, learning his history.

History is written by the victors, or so his tutor taught him.

What if there was more, he thought. What if there was omitted information that would be significant?

It would make sense, the boy pondered; every person likes to believe they're good people.

Most aren't.

He didn't like to think this way but deep down in his heart, he knew it was true. Sometimes he thought his sister and father knew his thoughts and played off them, as if to confirm his fears and suspicions.

Almost as if they were lessons.

"That's just stupid." Selthris chuckled, a humourful grin on his lips as he shook his head, placing the broken blade and its hilt back in his storing case.

"Sel!"

The named youth frowned, snapping his head up to find the gasping Leo at the door hands resting on the door frames as if for support. "L-Leo? W-What's w-"

"We need you out here, come on!" The Mercenary exclaimed before suddenly shooting back off wherever he came from. Selthris was left blinking in his seat before leaping off and rushing off after him. He slowed his run to a jog as he approached the quickly growing group; Ulric, Kay, George, Gerard and even the watching Sabine all stood together in a small circle.

"What's…?" Selthris spoke up lightly as he approached, tracing their stare.

"Up there, Lord Selthris," Ulric replied, pointing a finger forward up at the mountains above them. A sizeable number of men all rushed down the mountain toward the village.

"Bastards…" Kay cursed in an angry mutter.

"All right Kay." George placated lightly though firmly in his ever business-like frown.

"But they are!" She insisted, gesturing at the incoming obvious bandits. "We gotta stop them!"

"And blow our cover?" Sabine shot back, narrowing his eyes. He snorted. "Fat chance."

"What would you do if it was your home?" Gerard challenged, his own eyes narrowing at the youth next to him. Sabine rolled his own but opted not to respond.

"Kay's right," Leo agreed, nodding. "We have to help them, even at the expense of ourselves."

"It's Lord Selthris' final say in the matter," Ulric stated simply; the group all turned to face the surprised Lord, eliciting a worried look from the boy. "Well, my Lord? What say you?"

Selthris lowered his eyes, thoughtful and all. "I think I know how most of you are on this," he murmured, as if to himself before finally raising his head back up and frowning. "I agree with Kay and Leo; we shouldn't turn our backs on these people just because it might be difficult for us." He explained, pulling a thankful grin from the listening Mercenary and Social Knight in response.

"Figures." Sabine muttered, clicking his tongue annoyedly.

"You heard him; equipment and weapons, let's get out there!" Ulric exclaimed.

\--

Brandishing his ever faithful iron sword, Selthris set his sights on the one of the first axe toting brigands that rushed at one of the yelling village women. The village itself quickly turned into a panic zone as the bandits quickly closed in; just as Selthris' group had easily calculated, the Naerith occupancy force opted not to lift a finger. Some watched the proceedings whilst others joined in, causing a huge ruckus amongst the poor yelling bystanders. One of the large men saw Selthris coming and almost immediately turned his goofy sprint toward the young Lord. Selthris' silver eyes narrowed; remember, he thought, this is for real.

Can't screw up here.

The Bandit whooped madly as he leapt at the boy, axe held overhead. Selthris' eyes narrowed as he sidestepped to avoid the wide angle of the blade and slashed diagonally in backward evasion as he did so. The man shrieked noisily in pain though the sound was easily drowned out; he gripped at the side of his arm and his chest where he was sliced before raising his head to glare angrily at the back stepping boy. He yelled in acrimonious rage as he pushed his body forth in another attempt to jump attack the Lord. Selthris charged forward, eyes once again narrowed before swerving his body to avoid the obvious blow. The man gasped as his young opponent spun in counterattack; a deft spin slash held with both hands aimed for the man's neck. Selthris stopped spinning not far from his original position, his eyes and his head held forward religiously; his opponent landed and despite the deafening warring around them a kind of silence passed between the pair, frozen in their stances.

Finally, time returned to its normal flow and the Bandit gurgled angrily once last time as he turned his head around blood flowing his neck and mouth, crashing to the ground wordlessly. Selthris sighed slowly as he returned his arms and his iron sword to his side, his nerves still shot from the earlier confrontation. He blew out a long breath of air in some attempt to calm himself, his eyes temporarily shut. Unfortunately for him however a laughing man's battle cry to his dead right; the brown-haired youth snapped his head 'round, eyes widened. A second Bandit brandishing an iron axe leapt at him, a mad grin on his face seemingly knowing of his defenceless position. With little to no time to respond Selthris was left with little recourse but to raise his iron sword in a horizontal blocking technique taught by his father. He scrunched his eyes shut, hoping for the best but not too optimistic.

As if to answer his silent prayers, the same man's battle cry quickly morphed into a pain filled shriek and he seemingly dropped to the boy's feet; a loud thud just in front of him. The boy reluctantly opened a single eye before regaining his courage and opening the other only to find the bloody and fallen Bandit laying at his feet, a large gash strewn across his back. "Woah…," the Lord murmured; his eyes were pulled upwards and he frowned as he found the hard faced similarly frowning Edgar staring back him, steel axe held over his shoulder. He wore slightly different attire than Selthris remembered but it was him; the sweaty brown haired from his work gave him away. "S-Sir Edgar…"

"I told you not to call me that," the Axe Fighter chided, an annoyed tone adopted to his voice as he frowned back at the boy disapprovingly. Selthris lowered his head apologetically, unsure of what to say in response. "Just keep your head in the game." He added gruffly, eliciting a light smile from the boy as he re-raised his head back up.

"I didn't realise you could fight Sir-" the Lord began; a force of habit however as he received a hard look from the older male he quickly corrected himself. "A-Ah E-Edgar."

"Yeah," the Axe Fighter merely said in response, a low tone of voice as he did so. "Self-taught, mostly. Father taught me everythin' he knew."

"Just like me." Selthris murmured, more to himself than anyone else as he lowered his eyes once more in thought.

"You wanna go check on your friends?" He spoke up, pulling the boy's attention.

"S-Sure." Selthris smiled, nodding in agreement.

Even as the pair travelled, now together and their forces combined, they kept their eyes peeled watching for any of their companions. As they finally passed 'round a couple of barrels they clocked the dismounted Kay and George, fighting off a pair of their own opponents; two similar men to the mountain thieves roaming the area. As the watching two approached however, two occupying Naerith soldiers ran at the currently occupied Social Knights, drawing a worried gasp from the watching Selthris.

"No!" He exclaimed before growling and narrowing his eyes forward; the youth used the Aegir in his body to propel him forward, pushing against the ground roughly. He shot forward like a ball from shot a cannon and spun slash as before, making certain to strike the yelling bandits. As he finally approached the wide eyed Naerithian soldiers, he slammed his two feet into the armour plates of the warrior on the right immediately halting his chase. The Soldier watched him, an angry glower quickly gaining on his expression before the boy suddenly grunted as he used his Aegir once more to push his feet from the man's armour, sending him yelling to the ground presumably very painfully.

"My ribs!" The Naerithian Soldier wailed angrily as he landed face up, teeth grit and face scrunched up from the pain. "The little fucker broke my ribs!" He complained bitterly. The second nameless soldier watched his new opponent spin backward as he recovered; a hard frown on the Lord's watching, leant face.

"All right!" The watching Kay laughed as she grinned, raising a victorious fist into the air. "You nailed him!"

The second soldier growled angrily, perhaps annoyed at past proceedings and so rushed forward blindly iron lance and bronze shield held high. He leapt forward, iron lance drawn upward his target below him and true; the narrow eyed glaring Selthris. The little Lord sidestepped as many times before avoid the obvious jump attack, expecting to counterattack with a stab of his own however the soldier surprised him; he grinned this time seemingly knowing of Selthris' wide eyed surprise, easily recovering from his seemingly high intensity attack with a spin of his own. The soldier spun in place to recover, seemingly using his own Aegir to do so before leaping forward at his opponent, bronze shield held high up to defend with. Selthris' own counterattack was already committed to however; the Lord hoped hard with everything he had that his strike would be true.

No such luck.

The soldier laughed as he pushed aside the gasping Selthris' stab counterattack, leaving the boy staggering and easily open. "Now you're mine!" He laughed madly before yanking back his iron lance and charging it forward, eager for the kill to come. Unfortunately for him, however, a tossed iron sword slammed his lance, surprising the soldier. Though his eyes darted down to the obstruction he immediately turned his head over to catch his grinning interruption; a young man in similarly sky-blue armour leaping at him, left fist covered in Wind Style Aegir.

"Aegir Art; Razorfist!" The youth exclaimed, revealed to the be exuberant Mercenary Leo; he slammed his wind-infused fist into the man's armour plates easily cracking and breaking them from the pressure. The man stood there, his arms shooting up to catch his sudden opponent's attack transfixed on his defenceless position.

"N-No!" The soldier exclaimed, eyes widened in growing fear, but it was too late; the Aegir imbued fist struck true and did enough damage to rip through his front torso's tunic and sent the man sailing and tumbling across the ground.

"Leo." Selthris managed out, his eyes widened still transfixed in a look of shock and surprise. The named Mercenary turned to face him, now recovered from his attack, grinning.

"Fuckin' right it was Leo; what a shot!" Kay exclaimed enthusiastically as she walked forward to slap hands with the prideful youth. "Where'd you learn that?"

"Oh, you know, you pick stuff up." The young man chuckled knowingly, reaching down to grip his earlier tossed sword.

"Please calm yourselves," George insisted as he walked toward the pair, eyes narrowed disapprovingly. He sighed as he watched his elder sister roll her eyes at him as she usually did. "We don't want to end up in a hairy situation."

"Thank you… Leo." Selthris spoke aloud for the first time since his earlier engagement, a thankful smile present on the prince's facial expression.

"Don't worry about it Sel," the Mercenary chuckled once, waving the matter off before resting his sword across his shoulders and winking at his best friend. "I'd do it again."

"I know." The grateful boy smiled thankfully in response.

"What's all the ruckus?" Ulric's voice called, pulling the small group's attention, joined also by the narrow-eyed Sabine and the hard-frowning Gerard, bow in tow and lance in check.

"It's all good boss-man; we got it all sorted!" Kay called over, waving at her superior with an ever-exuberant grin. "Count on us to get the deck collected!"

"Hrm…," Ulric murmured as he approached, his eyes scanning the area. "Things seem to have quietened down considerably," he claimed; just as he said, the group turned to find little resistance left. Most of the villagers were absent or had simply left. "Lord Selthris? Are you well?" The Coremond-bound Paladin requested, turning his words over to the surprised youth ahead.

"U-Um y-yes Sir Ulric." Selthris responded, his business-like frown returning to him.

"Good," the Paladin acquiesced with a satisfied nod however he quickly double-took a quick look at the hard-frowning Edgar, standing not far from the group wielding a giant axe across his shoulders. "Who is this?" He demanded brusquely, gesturing one of his hands toward the standing man.

"A-Ah it's-"

"Edgar," the Axe Fighter quickly shot back in response, interrupting the stammering Selthris, his head leant to the side. "The woodcutter?"

"Ah yes, yes I recall now." Ulric nodded in recognition.

"He um…," Selthris spoke up again, his head held low before raising his silver eyes. "He saved me from certain death earlier on," the boy claimed, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the listening Paladin. "And Leo too."

"All in a day's work." Leo beamed, ever the hero. Kay couldn't help but chuckle as she lightly pressed the young man's chest with her fist affectionately.

"Is that so," Ulric asked, a curious eyebrow raised as he did so before turning and pacing over to the ever hard-frowning Edgar. "Then I believe thanks are in order." The Paladin admitted as he outstretched a hand to be shook. Edgar took a curious look at it before reaffirming the man's intentions with his eyes; he finally shook the man's hand.

"Why are we all just hangin' here? Didn't we say we'd finish 'em?" Sabine spoke up suddenly, waking the growing group up from their seeming slumber.

"Master Sabine… is correct," Ulric agreed, his voice ever hard and reaffirming as he turned to face the group of warriors as a collective. "While things have calmed, history will indeed repeat itself unless we end the direct cause."

"Which is?" George tossed in curiously, raising an eyebrow.

"The bandits' leader of course," the Paladin claimed as he frowned toward the young knight. "And the Naerith occupancy force." He finished, a firmer, harder tone to his voice as he narrowed his eyes. His words easily hauled surprised murmurs from one or two of the members.

"Are you… sure, Ulric-sensei?" George asked with a light wince, taking a step forward. "If we do that then…"

"We oppose Naerith outright, huh." Leo murmured aloud, raising a hand to rest under his chin thoughtfully.

"And they turn their eyes on not just you but this village," Edgar interrupted suddenly, his voice louder than before. The group turned to face him. "We'll be the ones to cop for this."

"Not unless we stop them." The previously quietened Gerard shot back with a tough narrow of his own eyes.

"But who's to say we'll even make a difference?" Sabine threw in with an emphatic shrug of his arms.

"I say we do it!" Kay exclaimed as she raised an earnest fist, grinning as confidently as she always did. "It's the right thing to do!"

"'It's the right thing to do'," Sabine shot back with a mocking grin. He laughed aloud as he continued. "How do you know what's right?"

"More 'n you obviously do!" The indignant Kay suddenly proclaimed, her fists lowering to her sides in a true show of her anger.

"Come on guys, cool it," Leo chuckled as he raised his free hand, attempting to wave the matter off peacefully. "Besides, it's Sel's call." He reasoned.

"Indeed," Ulric agreed with a hard nod. "All this bickering will only make our enemy stronger," he continued before turning to face the silent Selthris. "Lord Selthris!" He called, drawing a surprised gasp from the untested boy. "What is your decision? We shall support you in any way you so choose."

"A-Ah um…," the Lord mumbled to himself, lowering his eyes temporarily before re-raising his head and nodding shakily. "I… I agree with Kay and Edgar," the youth stammered initially, attempting to assert his words. Sabine uttered an annoyed click of his tongue as he listened, folding his arms. "If we leave things the way they are… then the citizens of this village will only be vulnerable to further attacks by this group. Naerith are also our enemy; we have to fight back."

"Yes!" Kay grinned, pumping a confident fist. Leo couldn't help but smile pridefully as he listened.

"Then that's what we'll do; the Aselian military serve the royal family!" Ulric asserted confidently before turning to face the frowning Sabine and Edgar. "What about you two? You both have a choice."

"My stake's in this village and its people," Edgar replied simply, his tone ever a serious one. "I ain't changin' it."

"And I guess I'm pulled by the chains of my companions," Sabine simply added as he raised his hands upward in a defeated motion jokingly, a small grin on his face eliciting a few smiles his way. "I'm comin' with."

Ulric nodded. "Acknowledged," he began before turning, presumably for the top of the village. "Vikeruce Militia, let's move out!"

3

Even as he approached, the narrow eyed Selthris stared hard at the fort-like building not far from their position, clearly the most conspicuous architecture around the village. Several men, assorted between Naerithian soldiers and the earlier mountain bandits, all stood around the entrance to the fort. As if seeing them approach, the previously retreating thieves turned to the Naerith occupancy force like a child to its mother. The men, all speaking between one another eventually allowed space from the entrance to reveal a hard eyed Naerithian; a Halberdier. As he stalked out from the fort his eyes scanned the growing group slowly and surely, looking down on them all.

"So… you are the reason we have been forced into action?" The man spoke, his baritone carrying a hint of superiority in it.

"Yeah, what of it?!" Kay suddenly exclaimed, her tone clearly angered. "What kind of country allows its occupancy force to take part in pillaging?!" The Social Knight accused angrily, eliciting derisive chuckles and smirks from the listening mountain bandits.

The unnamed Halberdier shrugged uncaringly. "It is not my prerogative what these men will do in my absence. I, you see, am charged with keeping the peace in this region."

"And you call this peace?" Leo challenged calmly but firmly, a hand resting on his hip as he stared back at the man disapprovingly.

"I call it a disturbance young man," the Halberdier shot back, a tone of light annoyance evident in his voice. "One I highly doubt any of you…," he continued, a tone of disgust entering his tone as his expression grimaced to reflect this. "Could possibly understand." He finished, glaring at the members.

"I might have guessed you idiots were like this," Edgar spoke up as he stepped up from behind the group, still carrying his steel axe across his shoulders. It was he however who turned a displeased frown across his countenance as he regarded the very words of his new enemy. "You people… you have no fucking clue, you really don't," he stated confidently and not without some anger to his tone. Selthris, Ulric and the rest of the group turned to face him, perhaps surprised at his use of language. "You think it's all right to swoop in while there's an opportunity huh?" He continued in clear hostility as he took a few steps forward.

"Keep your distance!" One of the Halberdier's men warned, brandishing an iron lance forward at the Axe Fighter. Edgar paid him no mind.

"What if I took this opportunity?" Edgar offered sarcastically and suggestively as he leaned his head to the side, an acrimonious smirk playing on his lips. The watching Halberdier simply glared wordlessly back, his head held unusually low. "Huh?" He spoke further as he took slow steps forward.

"You will not be warned again craven!" The red armoured soldier called over threateningly. "Stay away!"

"What if I took your weapons?" The Axe Fighter added as he scowled back at the sweating Halberdier. "What if I took your coffers? Could you deal with that? Would you deal with that?" The man continued, advancing on the murmuring men as if waiting for their commander's order to strike. The Halberdier's livid scowl twitched angrily as he listened, perhaps unwilling to deal with the man's words. "Let's see if you can," the young Axe Fighter added as he twirled the steel axe in his hands. "Fuckin' parasites." He cursed finally before shooting off forward, his goal obviously the commander; as if finally brought back to life, the previously listening Halberdier's scowl erupted into an angry teeth grit glower.

"Kill them all!" The Halberdier yelled angrily. "Leave no trace of their existence!"

\--

Selthris leapt over his opponent's wide axe swipe, landing on the Bandit's head; he exclaimed and slapped his free hand upward in a vain attempt to force his fleet footed adversary from his crown. However, the young Lord back flipped from the man's dome and rocketed an upward kick, sending the grunting male up into the air from the swift strike. Selthris followed up his punt with a spinning slash attack of his iron sword; the wide-eyed Bandit yelped in pain as he was sent rolling and scattering across the ground painfully. Selthris gasped as he finally stopped moving, out of breath; he was just in time however to catch the narrow-eyed Naerithian Soldier charging him with a stab of his iron lance. Forcing his body to move he raised up his sword in order to block the strike and was unable to; the Soldier laughed gleefully as he ripped the iron sword from his opponent, drawing a gasp from the shocked and worried boy. He followed up his offence and pulled back his iron lance before charging through with a yell of effort, his eyes as wild and crazy as his style.

"Aegir Art; Razorblade!"

The Soldier and even the wide-eyed Selthris had turned their eyes around only to find the narrow-eyed Leo plummeting down below them, catching his own iron sword in mid-air. His blade was filled with the light green aura of Aegir as with many of his other attacks; the Naerithian Soldier growled, his plans quickly derailed. He shot his own lance up in an attempt to block the attack, channelling his own Aegir to garner a defence however even as Leo descended, the watching Selthris knew somehow he was doomed.

"Shit!" The man yelled aloud, his eyes widened with alarm and terror.

"Oh yeah!" Leo called out hungrily before finally slamming his wind-infused blade down upon the man's lance. It didn't even last a second before the man's weapon broke in his very hands, evoking a terrified howl of agony as the attack finally made contact with him. Leo's sword tore through the man's armour, helm and clothes easily, covering his body and the area struck with the same lush green colour of the Aegir technique. Finally, the man let out one more guttural gurgle of blood and pain before he finally dropped to his knees and then the ground roughly, his blood slowly following him.

"L-Leo…," Selthris managed out with a relieved laugh, eliciting a light but confident grin from the older boy. "T-Thank y-"

"You don't have to apologise," the Mercenary interrupted with a polite shake of his head, opting instead to grin back at the younger boy. "You're my best friend!" He reasoned with his ever confident grin, ear to ear and near threatening to split his face. "You'd do the same for me."

Selthris smiled at his close friend's words sadly; not at the validity of his intentions but at the simple apprehension that he may not have been able to.

"Aw come on; I know what you're thinkin'," Leo chuckled as he advanced on the boy, placing a friendly arm on his shoulder. "Yes, you can," he reinforced softly, smiling as he did so before regaining his infectious grin. "And don't you ever forget it!"

"I know," Selthris smiled in response, lowering his head as he did so. "Thank you Leo."

"Are you all right Lord?"

The pair turned their heads around to find the hard faced Ulric accompanied by his ever faithful knights, Kay and George. While George was eager to follow, his elder sister was still currently engaged in a confrontation of her own. As she slammed her foot down on the grunting mountain thief angrily she glared down and yelled at him.

"And stay down!" The blonde Social Knight exclaimed before growling in annoyance and turning; immediately she was face to face with the watching Ulric, George, Leo and Selthris. The young woman's eyes widened before she smiled sheepishly.

"As tactful as ever Kay." George sighed, shutting his eyes and bringing two fingers up to rest upon his temple as he always did in situations like these.

"Well she gets the job done," a voice interrupted, calling the attention of the small group; a frowning Sabine accompanied by the similarly faced Gerard. "Yo." He greeted, raising an arm lightly.

"Looks as if the job is indeed done," Ulric spoke up as he scanned his eyes around. "Are we missing anyone?"

"Yeah, where's Edgar?" Leo questioned curiously, raising an eyebrow as he took his arm from his friend's shoulder. The group turned their eyes around in search for him.

"Over there," Gerard replied, tossing a finger forth at the fort entrance. The group traced his stare and, sure enough, found the brown haired Axe Fighter leaping around in his encounter with the similarly bounding Halberdier. "Fighting him!" The Knight exclaimed urgently.

"We have to help him, quick!" Kay urged similarly, one of her fists clenching in her show of effort.

"R-Right," Selthris agreed with a nod. "Let's go!"

4

"Edgar!" Kay exclaimed as the group quickly approached; the busy Axe Fighter tore his head away from grunting exchange with the growling Halberdier below him.

"Get away!" The young man called back before outsourcing a yell of effort to go along with his sudden horizontal swipe. The Halberdier gripped his steel great-lance with both hands as he was sent skidding across the battlefield roughly. "Why are you all here?!" Edgar added angrily, turning an annoyed glare on the following group.

"To help you, you ungrateful swine!" Kay shot back, clearly annoyed at the man's manners.

"Do you need a hand?" Ulric questioned over with a hard frown and narrow of his eyes.

"No!" The Axe Fighter spat annoyedly before returning his attention to his similarly glowering opponent. "Now let me do this, alone!"

"Maybe we should let him," Selthris spoke aloud, his voice barely reaching the shocked members of the group. "I mean, it's his fight, right?"

"Yeah, suits me fine." The uncaring Sabine smiled lightly as he relaxed his stance, raising his arms to rest behind his head.

"Ulric-sensei," George urged quietly as he walked his horse next to the man. "What do we do if he falls in combat?"

"He won't," Leo interrupted, drawing the attention of the listening pair. The watching Mercenary turned his head half 'round to face them, a light grin plastered on his lips. "Trust me." He boldly stated.

"I agree with Leo," Selthris nodded, a hard frown on his own soft features. "We shouldn't interrupt him; this is truly Edgar's bout."

"Well I guess we just gotta sit here suckin' our thumbs then… huh?" Gerard sighed as he knelt forward between the small group, eyebrow raising as he watched.

"In that case…," Kay murmured as she quickly dismounted her horse and took a few steps forward before placing her hands upon the sides of her mouth, presumably to amplify her next words. "Take him down Edgar! You got this!"

The group all turned immediately to stare at the young Social Knight strangely before they all, slowly, began to smile. Even the watching George, when he was finished sighing and shaking his head, couldn't help but grin at his elder sister. She turned to face them with a confident grin. She spoke one simple word; a word that seemed to echo between each of them all.

"Trust!"

\--

"How…?" The unnamed Halberdier whispered lowly at first as he gradually recovered from his opponent's earlier swipe. He twirled the steel great-lance in his hand and lightly shook the shield in his left. "How are you all still alive after all that?!" The man demanded angrily, his eyes narrowing.

"Hardly matters, don't you think?" Edgar shot back cheekily, a hard-eyed glare in his own expression as he stood back up himself. He leant to the side, resting his steel axe across his shoulders as he did so.

"Of course it matters you inbred swine!" The Halberdier outburst suddenly, his tone clearly full of pent up rage and anger. When Edgar simply raised a curious brown eyebrow back at him, the man's rage only seemed to grow. "If you fools aren't dealt with then I may lose my position here!"

At first curious, he let his bewildered look fall in place of a hard glare. "And wouldn't that just be a damn shame." He simply shot back, his tone clearly sarcastic.

"Damn right it would!" The man called back angrily. "Think of all the missed opportunities of looting and…," he trailed off, an annoyed growl in his tone as he spoke. However, even as he did, he caught the glaring faced Axe Fighter moving, somehow. His body flashed for a moment but there it was; an afterimage. "What the…?" He mouthed, eyes narrowing forward. A glint of steel on his far left made him snap his head 'round and raise his steel great-lance up in defence, eyes widened.

Edgar reappeared as quickly as he disappeared, mid-air and smashing his steel axe down on the Halberdier's defensive position.

"So fast…!" Kay gasped, an excited grin on her face as she watched. "How did he do that?!"

"The afterimage technique…," Selthris murmured lowly, unintending to speak any louder however the watching members seemed to hear him, turning to face the blinking boy. "U-Um, y-yeah it's a technique."

"I take it you're familiar with it, Lord Selthris?" Ulric questioned calmly, raising a curious eyebrow. Selthris nodded.

"Yes," he acceded. "Father taught me it; he quickly deduced I would be better suited to a speedy style of fighting, so this technique was a good addition."

"Scares me how fast he was in doing that," the watching Leo claimed as he folded his arms with a light grin, watching the exchange intently. "You wouldn't think it to look at the guy."

Selthris couldn't admit to being as surprised as the others; he had always felt that Edgar was holding back with muscles like those and not just with strength either.

"All those chores really do their help," George spoke up, a light grin on his face as he rounded on the curious Kay. "You should take a page Kay." He admonished jokingly, eliciting light chuckles from the rest of the spectators. Kay shook her head at her younger brother, a light grin of her own on her face before returning to the battle.

"You think… this'll… get me…?!" The Halberdier chuckled in mid-grunts and growls as he grinned back at the ever hard frowning Edgar. "You have… no chance!" The man grinned before suddenly yelling as he smashed through the wide-eyed Axe Fighter's guard, sending him staggering backwards. "Now you're open!" The Naerithian Halberdier laughed before lunging forward in a stab attack. "There!" He laughed as he leapt forward however his grin quickly began to fall from his face when he watched the blade of his steel great-lance simply pass through the man harmlessly, no blood spurting from the wound. "What in the name…?" The man gasped shockingly, blinking.

Just as before, the man before him was simply an afterimage but this time the Halberdier realised it too late; he yelled in pain as Edgar swiftly reappeared, delivering a deft roundhouse kick below him. The Halberdier was sent sailing across the air, rolling through the wind. Following up his counterattack, Edgar hastily reappeared above him axe held high; the Halberdier yelled angrily as he turned his body to a defensive position, raising his steel great-lance upward. Initially blocking his opponent's descending slam, the Halberdier attempted to parry the man's strike, eliciting a surprised wide-eyed frown from the unusually shocked Axe Fighter; all this while in mid-air.

"Yes!" The Halberdier laughed. "Now you're finished!" The man whooped happily before beginning his counterattack with a long and wide diagonal slice. Seemingly with unreal skill and speed, the narrow-eyed Edgar swerved his body downward in an attempt to duck the horizontal slash attack. The Halberdier gasped as his opponent did just that and growled as he readied his defences for the inevitable retaliation. As Edgar spun his body around below the man he swiped his steel axe upward with a grunt of effort and two hands gripping the hilt of his blade; the Naerith soldier gasped brought his steel great-lance up horizontally to block the attack, shocked at the strength behind Edgar's attack. The Axe Fighter followed up his offence with a two-foot kick to the man's armoured chest, sending him sailing back down toward the ground. The Halberdier yelled angrily as he crashed to the ground painfully, bringing up dust and rocks from the surface.

"So fast!" Kay exclaimed for the second time as she watched the Axe Fighter bullet back towards his opponent, his Aegir burning bright within himself and his steel axe.

"He's going to finish it now," George spoke aloud as he watched with a hardened frown, drawing the attention of several members. "Look at his Aegir!"

"Earth Style… isn't it…?" Ulric murmured as he watched, perhaps attempting to discern.

"That's gonna hurt…" Leo winced as he watched.

"Aegir Art!" Edgar's unusually loud voice called from the sky, descending like an anvil. A desert-like brown enveloping his weapon and his body; the Aegir he commanded. "Stone Justice!"

DROOM

As Edgar finally collided with the lying Halberdier an explosion of dust, rocks and Aegir set off between the two engulfed the battle site, sending rocks and dust even further than the last crash did. Several members of the watching group brought their arms up to block the oncoming hard winds that were generated from the high velocity attack.

"Such power!" Gerard exclaimed, surprised. "Has he been hiding it this whole time?!"

"Nothing would surprise me now!" Sabine gasped, his body strength a little short compared to his companions having just a little trouble in keeping his footing. "He's gonna destroy the village at this rate!"

"Woo!" Kay whooped, entranced by the engagement. "Go Ed!" She encouraged with a grin, evoking an annoyed frown from the watching George.

"No, look!" Selthris suddenly exclaimed, his silver eyes widened. He thrust a finger forward, wresting attention from the surprised group. "He's-"

"Yeah," Leo nodded in interruption but also agreement. "I feel it too; he's still there."

"After that?" Kay called back in bewilderment. "There's no way-"

"See for yourself sister," George interrupted softly as he nodded his head toward the battlefield. "He's still there all right."

Just as the dark-blonde Social Knight claimed, the dust finally settled and only Edgar remained on the field. Perhaps puzzled at his disappeared opponent, the Axe Fighter stood back up slowly and rested his steel axe across his shoulders as he did before. His eyes narrowed and darted around himself, as if in search for the suddenly absent Halberdier.

Almost as if to answer the eerily silent members of the watching group, the Halberdier finally reappeared from the undefended Axe Fighter's rear position his steel great-lance held hard in his hands. A hungry grin was plastered on the Halberdier's face, almost as if to prelude for the seeming slaughter to come.

"Edgar!" Leo clamoured forward, his hands amplifying his voice. "Behind y-" He continued however it seemed to be too late; the Axe Fighter snapped his head 'round just in time to catch the laughing Halberdier's quick spinning slash. Edgar grunted in pain as he was sent staggering backward from the quickened assault of his enemy, eliciting yet another malicious grin from the attacking Halberdier.

"Earth Style Aegir?" The nameless Halberdier soldier shouted out with a grin as he brought his lance up, down and around in his barrage of offensive attacks. "Don't make me laugh!" The man shot forward with endless glee, seemingly running rings 'round the young man.

"This one is strong…," Ulric mouthed as he watched him. "Simple attacks won't put him down."

"S-So what do we do?" Kay blinked as she turned to her superior. "We have to help him!"

"This is his fight, isn't it?" Leo reasoned lightly as he turned his head to the Social Knight, his eyebrow raised. "Hey, I don't like it any more than you guys do but…"

"We gave him our word, didn't we," Selthris agreed quietly, his eyes lowering. "We have to believe in him then."

"Suits me," Sabine snorted as he watched. "I ain't goin' toe to toe with that scary motherfucker."

Edgar growled as he finally shot his steel axe down to prevent the Halberdier's next upward slash, sending him staggering back with a surprised laugh.

"So, you do still have some fight in you!" The Halberdier laughed before attempting to right himself and his stance back into an offensive one. "Now, prepare to-"

SLAM

The Halberdier gasped as he was suddenly struck by his opponent's Aegir infused steel axe across the face; the Halberdier's eyes widened before he was sent careering across the village. The man crashed into a presumably empty house, causing a huge landfall of the bricks and mortar. Edgar wiped some blood from his mouth as he twirled his steel axe around his other hand, eyes narrowed forward.

"That's more like it!" Kay encouraged with a hyped grin as she watched.

"He's definitely holding back," Leo murmured as he watched. "But why?"

"You could see that, Leo?" Ulric questioned, surprised. The Mercenary turned over to his superior with a blink. "I'm impressed." He commended.

As if to interrupt the conversation the two were having, the broken house fell apart even further; a meaty explosion sent debris flying everywhere and behind the dust the screaming Halberdier stood with a hard-eyed glare, his aggression directed at the hard-frowning Edgar. His own Aegir burned white hot, perhaps to go well with his rage, carrying similar blood-faced wounds to his opponent.

"This is it!" Gerard called out as he narrowed his eyes forward. "This is where the end is coming!"

True to the Knight's words, the Halberdier suddenly bulleted forward as if shot from a bow, blowing dust and rocks in his path. Edgar leaned back into a defensive position, glaring at the man heatedly before, finally, the two collided in yet another meaty explosion. Behind the dust and rocks Edgar and his maddened opponent were found exchanging numerous swipes, slashes and strikes between the two of them; the Halberdier's quicker swipes got through one or two cuts on the Axe Fighter's cheeks or body, but Edgar's strength simply seemed far too much for the man. His steel axe continually beat down the man's attempts to overpower him, the weapon advantage clear; the Naerithian Halberdier let out a pent-up raging yell of anger and effort as he thrust a final stab forward with his steel great-lance seemingly uncaring for the consequences. Though he stood with a seemingly permanent scowl adorned on his features, the Halberdier quickly realised his slippery opponent was missing; he had stabbed nothing but air.

"'Those blind with rage are by destiny ensnared'," Edgar finally spoke, his voice clearly coming from behind the man's defences. The Halberdier's eyes widened as he listened, slowly flitting over with his head to find the Axe Fighter standing behind him. "Seems appropriate somehow." Edgar claimed, glaring back at the man as he turned his head half-way 'round to face him; the Axe Fighter did as his opponent had previously feared and spun his left arm carrying his axe 'round. The steel axe stuck deep in the man's undefended back and Edgar glared wordlessly as he drew a pained shriek from the man. Finally, he tore the blade out, sending the man staggering forward, dropping his steel great-lance to the ground a noisy clang; the man, no energy left in his body, tumbled to the ground with his weapon staining it and the ground in his deep crimson blood.

5

"That was amazing!"

Edgar turned his head around, his eyes widening in alarm before suddenly resetting with a recognising sigh.

"You guys…," he acknowledged the approaching group of warriors, twirling his steel axe with a hard frown. "Sorry I took so long."

"Sorry?!" Kay spoke again, seemingly ecstatic from watching the fight. "That was incredible! Have you been this strong the whole time?"

Edgar stared at her, unsure of what to make of her perhaps. "Um… yeah I guess so." The Axe Fighter claimed, watching the young woman strangely.

"You gotta teach me some of that!" The Social Knight grinned as she ran toward the older warrior, locking an arm 'round his shoulder. The Axe Fighter stared at her, annoyed and she seemed to react, realising his discomfort. "S-Sorry." She laughed nervously, pulling her arms back from the man.

"Still though Kay is right," Ulric spoke up in favour of his knight. "That was impressive." He chuckled lightly, a small grin on his face. Edgar faced the older man with his ever-bored looking frown.

"Sorry if I made you all worry," Edgar simply replied with as he twirled his steel axe once, staring down at it. "I needed to be sure to make him suffer."

"For all the stress he put the village through huh." Leo replied with a light grin, folding his arms as if knowing. The listening Edgar simply nodded, his frown ever unchanging.

"You should totally come with us!" Kay suddenly blurted out, a happy grin plastered on her face. The Axe Fighter turned to face her with a curious frown of his own. "We could use your strength!"

"She's not wrong," George claimed as he turned his eyes over to the fallen Naerithian soldier. "Certainly stronger than most I've seen anyway." The younger Social Knight murmured as he examined the recently deceased corpse.

"Indeed," Selthris agreed lightly as he took a step forward, eliciting a curious raised eyebrow from the listening Edgar. "We could certainly use your strength Sir Edgar."

"You always were a weird kid," Edgar simply replied, eliciting a chuckle from the watching and listening members. "You guys aren't normal and you ain't with this village… who are you all?" He questioned, turning his eyes across the group.

"Most of us are knights of Aselia," Ulric quickly answered, his own frown adorned. "We serve Prince Selthris of the kingdom." He continued, evoking a light wince from the listening Lord.

"Yeah, it's kinda tough sometimes," Leo grinned in as he ringed a hand 'round his best friend's shoulder. "He gets into serious trouble." He chuckled.

"You're all against Naerith I take it," the Axe Fighter stated, his eyes darting around as if for a quick examination of their reactions. Universally they all nodded, extracting an agreeing nod from him. "All right… yeah, I'll join your group."

"Great!" The hyped Kay grinned.

"If it means drivin' these fuckers from Aselia I'll do whatever's needed." He further spoke, raising his steel axe to rest across his shoulders as he did so before.

"Thank you, Sir Edgar," Selthris smiled as he walked toward the young man, taking his free hand and shaking it. "You will be a great comrade to our cause."

"It's Edgar kid," the Axe Fighter shot back with a hard frown. "Drop the honorifics."

"All right!" Kay exclaimed, shooting a fist skyward. "Now we're even stronger!"

"Let's just discuss our next course of action," Ulric offered with a low sigh. "I doubt our position is safe here anymore anyway."

Selthris smiled lightly as he examined the heightened morale of his soldiers and companions; he wished moments like this would last forever. Ulric was right however, he thought.

Time to focus on more.


	6. Dance of the Swords

Chapter 6: Dance of the Swords; To Challenge Coremond!  
Naerithian Resistance Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Uncharted Fates" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Duty" – Fire Emblem 13: Awakening OST. Scene 1 (First Half).  
"Taking it to the Air" – Dragonball Z OST. Scene 2 (First Half).  
"Yearnings of the Wind" – Chrono Trigger OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).

\--

While Selthris and his Aselian knights have managed to fight back against the menace of the Naerith army and a band of thieves attempting to raze the village they were residing at, their morale quickly falls short. With no reinforcements and no aid to their cause, they find their mission destitute and near impossible to achieve. Although they receive a new ally in the form of Edgar, an Axe Knight and resident of Highwood, Selthris finds himself unable to find a way through the conundrum he is faced with.

Their only lead comes from the ever-faithful Ulric, captain of Aselian knights; he puts it forth that their best course of action is to seek assistance from the far-off land of Etherthien, a wondrous kingdom littered with huge mountains, snow and caves. However, to do so would mean travelling through the Coremond plains, a vast green field home to nomads and warriors alike as well as Sohantha, Dracolius' huge empire, home to an incredible number of soldiers and strength of arms.

Gifted with the new knowledge that his father had learned from a hermit swordsman in the mountains of Etherthien, Selthris' decision is already made for him; with the faith that he will overcome the odds and push back against the wheel of fate itself his task is clear.

Their first destination is through the Coremond plains.

\--

Scene 1

"I didn't realise it'd be this long," Kay complained for the umpteenth time as they trudged on through the dense and thick forest atop her horse. "By the Sorcerer's beard, this is too much."

"Kay if you don't be quiet I will force you from that steed and you will walk," Ulric warned firmly, his own horse trotting next to hers. The bright blonde Social Knight rolled her eyes but opted to say nothing. "That's better." He murmured before turning his eyes back forward.

"Yeah, some of us are on foot ya know," Sabine spoke up as he casually strolled next to the group, resting his arms behind his head carefreely as he did so. "It ain't no picnic down here." He added with an audible sigh.

"Could always be worse!" Leo offered from the front, throwing an ever-jovial grin over his shoulder. "We could be dead!"

"How do you stay so positive all the time?" Kay sighed as she leaned forward atop her stallion. "I'm about ready to give way under all this armour."

"I tend to just take my mind elsewhere," Leo admitted with a grinning chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "This is where stories really come in handy."

"Do you have any?" George questioned as he upped his mare's speed a little to catch up.

"We should be discussing what we'll be doing when we hit the plains," Ulric insisted for the third time, turning his eyes between the pair. "Lord Selthris."

The young Lord was pulled from his thoughts; walking up front and seemingly leading the pack. He snapped his silver haired head around, eyes blinking curiously.

"H-Huh?"

"Have you had any thought to what our next course of action is?" The Paladin pressed further as he approached the quizzical boy.

"O-Oh," Selthris stammered, a sheepish smile on his face as he lowered his eyes. "I thought it wise to petition the empire-"

"Good luck with that," Sabin interrupted rudely though not without cause. The group turned to face him curiously as he continued, his eyes drooping listlessly. "I don't see what they'd gain from the Naerith conflict."

"Some of us have a conscience," Kay threw over her shoulder, her tone not without resentment. "Not that you'd understand."

"Yeah, well, some of us also have a brain," Sabine quipped back swiftly, a smug grin adorned on his face. Kay snapped her head 'round, an angry scowl on it. "Not that you'd get it."

"Enough," the torso naked Edgar interrupted as he walked past the two, carrying his steel axe across his broad shoulders. "Gettin' borin' listenin' to the two of you argue." He rumbled with a hard frown on his face.

"Anything for you Ed." Kay grinned comically in the older warrior's direction, clearly smitten with the man. George rolled his eyes as he watched the exchange.

"I've heard that the warriors of Coremond use Chieftains and work differently than our own military system." Gerard threw in as he stepped forward alongside the group, his armour clinking noisily.

"Yes Gerard, that much is true," Ulric confirmed with an agreeing nod. "Lord Sathryon reported as much in his younger days."

"You're from Coremond ain'tcha Ulric?" Leo suddenly shot in with a grin adorned his expression. The Paladin turned to face him with a curious raised eyebrow and his ever business-like frown.

Kay slapped the side of her own head softly, as if to chide herself. "Oh yeah I forgot about that completely!" She exclaimed before turning with a grin on her own expression. Perhaps sensing what was coming, Ulric rolled his eyes and sighed deeply.

"Oh, Sorcerer help me." He lamented.

"Ulric Dúdemeister!" Kay whooped in victory, a happy grin plastered on her face. The listening Paladin's hard frown twitched in annoyance as he listened to the strangely pronounced name. "You have the best name Ulric-sensei." She stated, ever grinning. Selthris and Leo couldn't help but chuckle and smile in their direction, watching the humorous exchange.

"In any case…," Ulric began again, this time with a loud and firm cough as if to draw attention away from his previous embarrassment. "We should continue down this thicket and eventually we'll come out to Coremondian soil."

"What's it like there Ulric-sensei?" Kay asked, a contrasting grin on her face as opposed to the bothered frown she wore earlier. "Give us some stories!"

"You should be focusing on your lessons," the Paladin chided firmly however he eventually relented when he caught the interested stares of many-a-member. He rolled his eyes in light annoyance before sighing in defeat. "Very well." He intoned, eliciting another victory whoop from the listening Kay.

"Would you listen to them?" Leo grinned in their direction, throwing his left thumb back behind him toward them. Selthris' eyes stayed fixated on the ground, a stony gaze in his hazy-eyed expression. "Yo, Sel?" He tried again, this time raising a curious eyebrow as he leaned forward and waved at the boy. Selthris' eyes blinked once before snapping 'round in surprise. He put on a seemingly forced smile and shook his head as he realised his friend's intentions. "You okay?" The Mercenary questioned carefully, tilting his head as he did so. "You been quiet for a while."

"Just… thinking." The Lord chuckled back, forcing a smile in response before turning his eyes forward once again.

"Not about your dad again?" Leo chanced, a suspicious eyebrow risen upward. Selthris' own silver eyes turned away, perhaps in quiet defeat. The patient Mercenary sighed. "It ain't the best situation, I know," he said, turning his own frown forward as they walked together. "You should be more careful Sel," he began again, this time with a hardened edge to his eyes; Selthris, intrigued, raised his own to face his companion. "You stay in that place long enough… your fear and indecisiveness will turn to hate," the youth continued, his eyes glaring forward at nothing in particular before suddenly snapping 'round to meet Selthris' surprised ones. "I've seen it time and time again." The young man spoke wisely and softly, lifting his gaze away from his friend's.

Selthris nodded, his own eyes lowering. "Y-Yeah, you're right," the Lord nodded in agreement, turning to face him this time with a genuine smile. "Thank you, Leo."

The Mercenary simply shot him one of his usual grins back.

"That's the camp, right there!" Kay exclaimed, thrusting a finger forward. As the group exited the thick trees and forest they finally came out to a clearing; a field as lush and green as the eye could see. At the very far edges of what appeared to be the end were the huge mountains of Etherthien.

"Certainly takes your breath away." Gerard claimed softly as he stared forward, his eyes watching the field.

"Yeah… I guess it does." Edgar agreed with the stout knight, nodding as he walked past him still balancing his steel axe across his broad shoulders.

"Yes, I see it Kay," Ulric finally responded with an acknowledging nod. "Now we must be careful," the Paladin continued, directing his words not just to his subordinates but every member of the party. "The warriors of Coremond value respect and honour; we must tread very carefully if we're to receive successful passage."

"Do you think we'll manage?" George questioned curiously, raising an unsure eyebrow atop his own steed. Ulric tilted his head and smiled lightly.

"Well that's up to our Lord Selthris I would say," the Paladin chuckled, drawing eyes around the surprised youth. "How he handles this will determine if we walk free."

"No pressure, huh?" Leo shot in with as he leant his arm on his friend's shoulder cheekily, a grin on his face.

"You got this!" Kay grinned alongside the Mercenary, walking her horse to the silver haired youth's position. "You're your father's son, after all!" The blonde Social Knight grinned ever confidently. Selthris couldn't help but smile wanly back in response.

Why didn't that sentiment comfort him?

\--

"Halt!"

Just as expected, the group stopped advancing. Though inhabited by many civilians, they were approached instead by armoured wearing denizens of the small encampment; a small group of around three men their clothes all generally a shade of green as if to blend in with the lush green of the Coremondian field.

"By what purpose does…," the man in the middle began speaking, his eyes quickly scanning each diverse member of the party. His eyes narrowed before continuing. "This militia travel through Coremond?"

Ulric, among many others in the group, turned to face their Lord, the silver haired youth. Selthris stepped forward to participate in the conversation and answer the man.

"U-Um, g-good day sir," Selthris began awkwardly, bowing forward in a sign of respect. The three men all exchanged unsure glances but remained quiet. "We are a travelling group that hail from Aselia to the-"

"We know where Aselia lays, boy," the man, seemingly in charge, interrupted him. His arms folded as he sighed, his eyes temporarily shut; his companions both gave a humoured chuckle as they listened. "What are your intentions?"

"U-Um, I-I am Prince Selthris Vikeruce of-"

"Answer me boy!" The man demanded, this time, snapping his eyes open and glaring forward. Selthris flinched in fear, taking a startled step back. "What are your intentions?!"

"Enough!" Ulric vocalised loudly and firmly, dismounting his horse and approaching the small group. "You should offer the proper respect!" The dismounted Paladin chided angrily, glaring at the curious men. "You speak to Aselia's next in line, the Prince Selthris!"

"Well… we apologise," the man in the centre responded, a light frown adorned on his face. The two men at his side put on grins, as if already knowing what was coming. "But we here in Coremond care not for blood ties… do we boys?"

The two men at his side merely smirked in low chuckles, as if agreeing wordlessly.

"Still, I must ask you to-"

"Wait a second," the man interrupted for the second time, his eyes narrowing forward. "I know you." He spoke, a recognising frown adorned this time eliciting a twitched scowl from the listening Paladin.

"You must be mistaken, I-"

"Dúdemeister… ain't it," the man questioned; silence was his answer. The group of men all seemed to chuckle, as if receiving their answer. "Ulric, yeah, I know you," the man began again, this time with a hardened scowl of his own. "You left us twenty years ago; we weren't good enough for you, were we." The green clothed man shot back rhetorically, tilting his head angrily at the man. Finally unmasked and revealed, Ulric sighed as he lowered his eyes before re-raising them to frown back at the men.

"Bernhard if you were to only let us pass, we mean you and your community no harm whatso-"

"Denied." The man immediately shot back, shaking his head uncaringly an emotionless frown and tone to his voice.

"But you-" Ulric began, spluttering angrily. "You didn't even listen to me."

"Why should I listen to the words of a traitor?" Bernhard spat back, his tone not without scorn. Ulric made an annoyed grunt as he listened. "You made your decision twenty years ago; here's me makin' mine."

"Then listen to Prince Selthris, not me!" Ulric barked back, gesturing toward the awkwardly standing and listening boy next to him. "Don't punish the rest of us for a gripe you and I possess!"

"Seriously?" Bernhard replied with a single nod and blink, his words carrying a soft though angry tone of their own to them. "That's the route you wanna take?"

"Bernhard, I only ask that you be fair-"

"Oh, fair is it?" The green armoured Coremondian shot back, his tone of voice heightened. "What's fair then, Ulric? What about the boy that ran from Coremond and from his best friend? Huh?" The man continued angrily, his eyes narrowing as he spat his words out. Ulric merely listened, a hard frown weighing his face down. "What about the promise he broke? Was that fair, Ulric?" Bernhard continued angrily, clearly directing his cryptic words toward the hard-faced Paladin. Ulric couldn't seem to find the words to respond; he merely lowered his eyes, perhaps in some form of shame. "Tch…," he spat out angrily, staring down at his former acquaintance with a disgusted expression before he rounded a hard scowl on the watching and silent Selthris. "Sorry kid but you got some bad baggage with you. We don't take kindly to his type." The man simply finished with before turning and walking off, his two bodyguards following wordlessly though not without a chuckle of their own.

"Are they just going to leave us?" Leo whispered, his eyes narrowed with incredulous shock. "Like this?"

"B-But there must be something we can-" Kay spoke up, her tone unusually soft and surprised, however she was swiftly interrupted.

"Duellum!" Ulric suddenly barked, his deep voice reverberating through the field; it did as desired, the three men all halted their retreat.

"Did I hear you right… Ulric…?" Bernhard spoke lowly, his voice carrying recognition and a hint of anger in its tone. Ulric glared back at the man's back.

"Yes." The Paladin merely shot back, his expression unchanging.

"It's been a long time…," Bernhard began again before turning back to face the group, accompanied by his two men once more. "Since I heard that word."

"What the hell is duellum?" Sabine whispered in the back, eyes narrowed.

"If I recall… it is Coremondian tongue for…" George began lowly, his own eyes narrowed perhaps in thought.

"Duel," Leo added with an agreeing nod, watching the situation unfold. "It's a challenge, from one nomad to another."

"You got a lot of nerve," Bernhard growled angrily as he advanced once more on the two, eyes glaring at the hard-frowning Ulric. "You shouldn't even be speaking our tongue anymore, Aselian scum."

"Duel me, Bernhard," Ulric offered, standing up straight and frowning hard forward. "If I lose then I promise you we will move our force to find another way through."

"And if you win…?"

"Then you let us through," Ulric responded, calmly as ever. "Sound fair to you?"

Bernhard's frown quickly curled into an annoyed scowl as he listened. "There's something hilarious about you using the word fair…," he began. "But yes, I accept your terms."

"This is friggin' sick!" Kay hissed in excitement, dismounting her own horse and clenching her two fists together in a show of her exuberance. "We get to watch sensei Ulric in action!"

"And a Coremondian duel into the bargain." George agreed quietly, a contrasting calculating frown adorned on his expression.

"Sir Ulric, y-you don't have to-" Selthris began, wincing as he turned to the Paladin on his left.

"Please, Lord Selthris," Ulric pleaded calmly and quietly, his eyes turning down to the boy on his right before re-turning to rest on his old acquaintance. "I will be fine, I promise you."

Selthris merely lowered his silver eyes in defeat, nodding in agreement before slinking off from the field they were presumably about to use.

"This will be interesting," Gerard spoke up as he folded his arms and grinned lightly, watching the events unfold with intrigue. "I've never seen a Coremondian duel before."

"Same as any duel really," Edgar replied, his hard business-like frown ever adorned. "These guys just like to think they have more honour and valour than the common man."

"That totally doesn't sound like you bear any kind of grudge." Sabine shot back sarcastically with a laugh in his tone and a grin on his face. Edgar simply shook his head his frown ever present.

"Chin up Sel!" Leo grinned next to the hard frowning Selthris, ringing another comfortable arm 'round the boy's neck affectionately. "Ulric's got this."

Selthris smiled wanly back at his close friend before turning back to the battlefield with a worried frown.

"I only hope so." Selthris pondered, keeping his worrisome thoughts to himself.

"All right now!" Bernhard suddenly exclaimed, wresting attention and control of the passers-by in the Coremondian encampment as well as Selthris' group. "For the first time in twenty, long, years Bernhard Stormwill and Ulric Dúdemeister clash!" The green clothed man bellowed loud enough for the crowd to hear him; a clear announcement for all. His eyes grew cold as he finished his words, aiming his glare at the leaning postured Ulric. "You're going to lose every chance you have of whatever your group is pursuing Ulric," the Nomad Trooper hissed angrily, his frigid eyes narrowing at the similarly glaring Paladin. "You deserve much worse for betraying us, after all."

"Show me what you will Bernhard," Ulric simply stated back in response, his position unchanged. He simply shook his head as he continued. "Hatred will not bring back Alison."

"How dare you!" The Nomad Trooper exclaimed again, advancing a step forward as if to emphasise his anger. "You don't have the right-"

"She was my friend too, Bernhard," Ulric interrupted softly and calmly his eyes hard, even understanding. Bernhard's own widened in alarm as he listened. "I have every right."

Instead of his previous outburst, Bernhard sighed lowly through his nose and advanced forward, unsheathing the sword at his hip as he did so. "We'll see…," he began as he glared forward quietly. "If there is iron in your words!"

2

As quick as an arrow shot from a Killer Bow, Bernhard disappeared and re-appeared at Ulric's left side; the Paladin shot out his longsword and raised it diagonally upwards in order to block the oncoming slash attack. Bernhard's rough gaze weighed hard on the frowning Ulric, their temporary stasis moment seemingly lasting forever. Bernhard finally followed up his assault with a quick succession of air-borne spinning slash attacks, forcing the hard-eyed Paladin to spin his own sword around in defence, taking many steps backward as he did so.

"So fast!" Kay exclaimed out as she watched, unable to believe the seemingly slow Nomad Trooper's movements. "How could he hide that?"

"Did you see how familiarly they talked to one another Kay?" George questioned instead, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the two. The blonde Social Knight blinked at her younger brother, surprised at his words. "Ulric-sensei has been hiding a lot of his past from us."

"Who can blame him?"

The two turned to find the ever hard frowning Edgar, resting his steel axe across his broad shoulders. His own eyes were also resting on the lightning fast duel that they watched.

"It ain't anyone else's business, way I see it." The Axe Fighter claimed boldly.

"Quite right," Selthris agreed quietly as he watched, his own silver eyes narrowed. "We should respect Sir Ulric's decision."

One of Bernhard's many wild swipes were finally parried by the hard-eyed Ulric, sending the Nomad Trooper gasping and stumbling forward from his aerial assault. Ulric followed up his defensive parry with an offensive knee to the chest, sending his old acquaintance far into the air; the Paladin gave chase, easily disappearing from sight. His speed, seemingly on par or even higher than his opponent's, had him re-appear behind the fast approaching Nomad Trooper; the scowling, shut eyed Bernhard snapped his eyes open and turned his body around. The man shot his sword diagonally upward to defend against Ulric's initial diagonal slash; the pair glared quietly at one another through the sparks and swords, hovering in the air with use of their Aegir. Seemingly tapping into further reserves of his strength, Ulric grunted once as he drew his sword further downward, quickly breaking the gasping Bernhard's defence and breaking through. Following up, he spun around and struck another diagonal slash, this time packed with non-elemental Aegir; Bernhard yelled in pain as he was struck down by the longsword, sending him careering back down to earth. The ground coughed up rocks and dirt from the sheer velocity the Nomad Trooper descended at drawing dust and smoke. Ulric finally descended himself, though much quieter and softer than his opponent, seemingly waiting.

"You think that's it?" Kay questioned doubtfully, raising a curious eyebrow.

"No," Edgar replied, his eyes narrowed. "They're both clearly holding back."

Almost as if to respond to Edgar's words, the crash site roared to life once more and this time, as the smoke cleared, a scowling Bernhard stood in the middle. A long gash across his face lit up the crimson coloured blood that flowed from it and he glared at Ulric with red-hot rage to match. As Ulric simply stared frostily back at his former companion, the Nomad Trooper finally moved, once again disappearing from common view. The Paladin's old eyes darted, seemingly following the dismounted Coremondian, standing still in wait. Eventually the scowling Bernhard re-appeared, holding his blade skyward and descended down on the glaring Paladin. Ulric shot his longsword upwards to diagonally block the incoming attack however as the man's sword mixed with his own they both passed through one another harmlessly. Ulric quickly realised his enemy's plan and widened his eyes, but it was too late; Bernhard re-appeared for the second time and this time under his opponent's defences. Bernhard wordlessly slammed his free left elbow into the gasping Ulric's lower chest region, successfully winding him; he followed this up with a leaping, diagonal spinning slash attack. Ulric's defences were wide open and he suffered numerous cuts from the super-fast Nomad Trooper for his trouble, eliciting pained grunts and growls. Finally, Bernhard finished up his combo with a deft and eventual diagonal slice; Ulric was sent rolling in the air from the sheer ferocity of the attack however he quickly righted himself with a back-flip in mid-air, landing in a skidding kneeling position.

Ulric and Bernhard both let out long needed gasps for air as they recovered from their defence and attack respectively, staring at one another contrastingly. It was Bernhard's turn to offer a smug smirk from his previous offence and Ulric's turn respectively to glare in little else but anger or hatred.

"You ain't… as fast as I remember Ulric!" Bernhard called over, stroking his own ego with a smug smirk. "What's wrong? Am I too fast for you?"

"I have far outgrown the teachings of Coremond, Bernhard," Ulric shot back, a hard-eyed glare to his tone. As the named Nomad Trooper listened, he scowled back in response. "I have seen far more of Dracolius than you can imagine."

Even as Ulric spoke the words, Bernhard seemingly couldn't find his own to respond with so he glowered wordlessly instead. This time however it was Ulric's turn to disappear, making the first move; Bernhard's eyes widened in initial surprise and he swerved his body 'round to block the sudden aerial swipe to his far top right. The two struggled for about a second before Ulric disappeared again, as fast as the wind itself; Bernhard's eyes darted in an attempt to follow him but it seemed to be in vain. Ulric's foot caught his opponent's and sent the Nomad Trooper stumbling forward; Bernhard gasped, using his free left hand to stop himself from falling to the ground. The Nomad Trooper swerved his right arm around in a defensive motion, a bead of sweat quickly falling from his forehead as he did so; a clear sign of fatigue setting in. Ulric seized his offensive chance and re-appeared behind the slit-eyed Coremondian, roundhouse kicking the man's back. Bernhard grunted in pain as he was sent skidding roughly across the ground face first; Ulric gave chase with a leap, his longsword poised downward and gripped with both hands.

Bernhard growled as he used his free hand and his own sword to roll his body in evasion even as he was sent from the previous strike he was dealt with. Ulric attempted to follow but his aim was untrue and he slammed his longsword into the lush green of the field below him, just inches from the rolling Bernhard's chest. The Nomad Trooper used his evasion to his advantage and spun his legs in a spinning kick while raising himself back to his feet; Ulric defended the light attack easily enough by yanking his sword back out the ground and shooting his sword across the air defensively. Eventually however, the Coremondian warrior used his defensive attack into a back-flipping recovery; even as he landed, the Nomad Trooper shot back forward into a leap directed for the narrow eyed Ulric. Bernhard spun his Killing Edge around his hands as it suddenly glowed red and he smirked alongside it, as knowing of the incoming effect; Ulric's own eyes widened in alarm as he quickly recognised it himself.

"No!" George exclaimed as he watched, eyes narrowed. "He may not sur-"

"Of course he will!" Kay interrupted angrily, investing in the battle. "That's who he is!"

Ulric shot his longsword upward to block the incoming attack and Bernhard finally crashed his offence with the man's defence; Bernhard's critical attack struck hard into the grunting Paladin's defence. Bernhard hovered over the hard-faced Ulric, his weapon glowing red; they stayed like that for what felt like an eternity before, finally, the attack seemed to be proven too much for the Paladin to handle. It cut through the gasping Ulric's defence and Bernhard laughed in a gleeful grin as he watched; the Nomad Trooper followed up with a leaping array of slices, slashes and strikes, the two hovering across the air as they did so. Bernhard spun across the green field as he landed and Ulric grunted in pain as he also did, back first and reeling from his opponent's ferocious attack. The Nomad Trooper advanced on the fallen Paladin quickly, seemingly intending to end the engagement; he leapt into the air and plummeted down on the fallen Ulric, his eyes set hard on his prize. Ulric's eyes snapped wide open and he shot his free left hand upwards; Bernhard gasped, widening his own eyes in recognition. A shield made of pure Wind Style Aegir energy erected from his palm and Bernhard slammed right into it; the Nomad Trooper cursed lowly under his breath as he did so, watching the Paladin roll out of the way before it inevitably smashed open like glass.

"Impressive!" Bernhard called over as he pulled his sword from the lush green field, gasping for air as he swiped the air and advanced on his opponent slowly. "I didn't remember you using any of these techniques last we met!"

Ulric rolled to his feet and grunted as he skid to a complete stop, eyes glaring forward. "I told you Bernhard," the veteran shot back, eyes narrowed. "If you ever want to grow as a warrior… you can't hope to stick to your old traditions and your country," he continued, eliciting a twitching scowl from the walking Nomad Trooper. "You need more battle experience."

"You still think I'm weaker…?" Bernhard murmured over curiously, raising his head and gaining a slow grin to his lips as he spoke. Finally he nodded as he witnessed Ulric's own curious eyebrow raise ever upward questionably. "All right… okay then…" He intoned lowly, spitting out blood on the side.

Even as Bernhard bent lightly to perform his Aegir Art across his blade, he glared forward hard at the similarly watching Ulric.

"Now you've gone and done it…," the Nomad Trooper chuckled, a slow grin gaining on his features. "You've underestimated me for the last time Ulric!" He called forward, his words carried across the wind that blew at his feet and the combatants hair.

"What's he…?" Selthris murmured as he watched, his eyes narrowing in recognition.

"It's a form of Aegir Art; Razorblade," Leo quickly answered at his side, his own eyes narrowed at the action. "But he's using a far stronger variant than the one I know." The Mercenary admitted, raising his thumb and biting at his nail perhaps in frustration.

"You can tell just by looking?" Selthris questioned incredulously, eyebrow raising in curiosity.

"You know me," Leo shot back confidently, giving his old friend a cheeky wink and a thumb up. "I'm the chief!" He grinned, drawing a genuinely amused smile from the young Lord.

"I know that technique Bernhard; I'm no amateur," Ulric called over loudly, a hard frown adorned as he spoke. A corner of the Nomad Trooper's mouth upturned into an amused smirk as he listened to his opponent continue. "We both have the same Aegir affinity… after all."

"Yes…," Bernhard chuckled lowly, narrowing his eyes as he channelled his Aegir. "Yes, we do Ulric… but that's not all there is to the Wind Style technique," he began again, chuckling in confidence as he did so. The curious Ulric raised a dubious eyebrow as he listened. "I know this looks like the Razorblade technique…" He trailed off; Ulric seemed to recognise the man's intentions and his eyes widened as he did so.

"N-No! Why?!"

"I've waited a long time for this day," Bernhard shot back, losing his smirk. Eventually falling to a hard scowl, he glared over at the worried Paladin. "Now I want to enjoy the moment."

"No Bernhard!" Ulric pleaded, his concerned tone heightening as he braced himself on the ground; Bernhard's new technique causing a lot of air disturbance. "This isn't the answer!"

"Yes, it is!" The Nomad Trooper barked back angrily, his words echoed by the hard energy of his Aegir. "You don't get to lecture me after all these years!"

Finally, as the wind died slowly down to an eerie calm, the newly grinning Bernhard revelled in his technique; he stood now covered in a visible wind infused aura.

"Now! The perfected Wind Style of Coremond!" Bernhard proclaimed grandly before raising his head up to smirk up at his grit toothed rival. "Demon Sword Aeolus; Icy Edge!" The man called as his Aegir covered the blade he used, resulting in a heavy sheet of ice, save for the hilt. "Water and Wind Aegir my friend!" He continued, directing his grinning words toward the shock expressed Ulric. "Just as I always wanted!"

"You combined them…?" Ulric whispered, perhaps incredulously surprised before he shook his head at his opponent's smirking nodding. "Sensei Willem would have-"

"The old man is dead Ulric!" Bernhard shot back with impetuously and angrily, eliciting a gasping frown from the listening Paladin. "It doesn't matter what he wanted anymore." The Nomad Trooper finished in a much lower tone of voice, his eyes narrowed hard.

"Then I'll carry out his will," the Paladin replied calmly enough as he stood upright, effectively looking down on his former companion. It easily drew an angry growl and scowl from his former rival. "Someone has to, after all." He finished with a hard narrow of his eyes.

"Let's see you try!" Bernhard yelled in response as he leapt forward at the end of his words into a charge. Ulric raised his longsword diagonally, presumably to block with however his eyes shut in a quiet seeming effort. As Bernhard rushed toward him, Ulric's own Aegir sizzled 'round his person like a ring of wind before it sparked once. As if set alight, the longsword he carried was suddenly shot alight with fire and Bernhard noticed it; his eyes widened as he saw it.

Seemingly his Ice Style's weakness; the Fire Style Aegir.

"Come on Ulric!" He bellowed over angrily, all cares and thoughts thrown to the wind. "Show me what you got!"

Finally, and all at once, Bernhard finally clashed with the standing and defending Ulric; the two executed a similar diagonal slash attack simultaneously. Bernhard ended up behind the hard-faced Paladin and Ulric stood in a similar position, the two swordsmen bent over from their attack. Time almost seemed to slow down and stop temporarily for the pair and for the others watching, unable to make out the winner of the final duel engagement. No one dared breath a word as they watched and waited for the inevitable winner and loser of the bout.

Eventually Bernhard's eyes widened, and he coughed out a small reserve of blood, seemingly from the previous engagement before finally dropping to one knee and wincing. Ulric also fell to his knees, coughing out a similar couple of drops of blood. Bernhard turned his head around shakily, cringing with pain as he witnessed his former companion's further descent to the ground face up, bleeding and coughing. Letting out a triumphant grin from his attack earlier before, finally, falling to his face unconscious.

\--

"… amazing!"

"Yeah, I'll say!"

Ulric groaned as he shook his head lightly, suffering from a severe migraine. The voices he heard seemed to be either in a dream or around his person; he forced his tired eyes open and found himself in a tent, his eyes adjusting to the initial blurriness. He turned his head to his right to find the blurry faced grinning Kay at his side.

"Hey boss!" She greeted. "You did great!"

"Kay…," the Paladin murmured lowly, her voice loud enough to irritate his headache. "What happened; where is Bernhard?"

"He's resting here, with you!" The blonde Social Knight grinned ever loquaciously, nodding her head diagonally upward. He traced her direction to discover a similar bed to his own, housed by the still unconscious Bernhard, true to her word. He sighed loudly as he laid his head back down to his pillow. He moved his eyes up to face his student.

"What's the situation?" He asked, eliciting an ever-excited grin from the youth.

"The elder showed up after you two slashed each other to ribbons," the Social Knight chuckled knowingly, eliciting a quiet sigh from the listening Ulric. "She seemed to know you; ordered that you both be cared for in the meantime."

"Really…?" Ulric asked, raising a curious eyebrow. "Hrm…," he thought to himself, lowering his eyes. "I wonder…"

"That fight was amazing Ulric-sensei!" She exclaimed again, calling his surprised attention with a listening blink. "I've never seen you like that before!"

"Mm…" The Paladin frowned out, seemingly disapprovingly. Kay tilted her head at him unsurely.

"Sensei?"

"It's… nothing," the man claimed, shaking his head before raising it. "What about the rest of you?"

"Oh!" She exclaimed, surprised before retaining her grin. "They let us in the camp; told us to stay put while you two recover."

"I see." Ulric simply nodded, lowering his head.

"Will you teach me those techniques Ulric-sensei?" She requested with an excited grin. He raised his own head with a curious raise of his eyebrow once more as he listened. "Especially that fire thingy! I loved that!"

"You still have the basics to master Kay," Ulric replied calmly, his eyes wandering over to the seemingly unconscious Bernhard. "We'll cover those first at the next lesson."

"Okay…," the impetuous youth mumbled annoyedly as she rolled her eyes and stood up from her seat, heading for the tent's exit. "I'll be back in a little bit to bring you water." She threw over her shoulder with her usual grin; Ulric nodded positively and, as she exited, he was left with his thoughts pondering back toward the duel with Bernhard.

Did he truly mean to kill him at the end of it?

Indeed, even during the engagement he could feel the murderous intent the man carried for him.

He sighed; better not to dwell in this particular house.

You gain nothing from it.

The tired Paladin rested his head across his pillow once more, frowning up at the tent's ceiling above him.


	7. A Coremondian Duel

Chapter 7: A Coremondian Duel; Prove Thy Mettle!  
Naerithian Resistance Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Behind the Clouds" – Black Lagoon OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Emergence of Talents" – Naruto Part II OST. Scene 2 (First Half).  
"Crossing Rage" – YS VII OST Scene 2 (Second Half).  
"Dizzy Maniac" – Black Lagoon (Roberta's Blood Trail) OST. Scene 3.

\--

While crossing through the green plains of Coremond in an effort to reach the top cities of Sohantha and the high mountains of Etherthien for military assistance, Selthris and his company are faced with confrontational faces in the Coremondian campsite. Bernhard Stormwill, seemingly a former companion of veteran commander Ulric's, is taken with the idea of the Paladin's request for a duel and all in order to gain his lord an audience with the leaders he had once deserted. The two clashed daringly, exchanging old histories and stories as they did with a single ultimatum; if Ulric won they were to pass through unharmed and if Bernhard won the Aselian force were to leave. Unfortunately, for them both however, the two well known Coremondian warriors managed to draw during their duel.

Drawn to the eye-catching scene, the Coremondian elder ordered the two be taken into her camp and cared for temporarily and as a result of their connection to Ulric, the Aselian force are given temporary shelter. Selthris uses his name as the next in line to the Aselian throne to gain an audience with the Coremond elder to gain information and perhaps more.

\--

Scene 1

"So, you are the leader then, are you?" The woman spoke as Selthris bowed to one knee respectfully, his head lowered and his hand resting on his blue armoured chest. He raised his head and nodded wordlessly. The woman seemed to recognise him; she narrowed her eyes ever so slightly and smiled lightly. "You bear his resemblance." She chuckled lightly in her seat, eliciting a curious tilt of the boy's head. "Your father, Sathryon Vikeruce?" She spoke, this time with a light smirk as if amused by his surprise.

"Y-Yes," he began with an unsure blink. "What is your name milady?" He asked respectfully. "How did my father know you?"

"He taught you manners I see," the woman grinned as she raised herself from her chair. "My name is Salnarra," the older woman claimed bowing also, perhaps as a sign of respect to his father and himself. "Daughter of the last elder," she continued. "I met your father during the last war; your nation's struggle against Naerith I believe." She explained briefly, this time with a frown as she placed her hand upon her hip. Selthris took it as an invitation to stand and frowned back as he opened his mouth to respond.

"Yes, I remember being taught about it; Aselia and Naerith do not have the best relationship." The young Lord chuckled uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his silvery head as his eyes wandered from the topic.

Salnarra folded her arms with a light grin. "I'm aware," she replied amusedly. "How is the old goat anyway? I miss him."

"He- Ah…," Selthris began in response, hesitating as his eyes wandered once more. It drew a curious frown and raise of her brown eyebrow as she listened and patiently awaited his answer. "My father was killed on the field of battle."

"He was what?" Salnarra requested, shocked as she leant forward and down toward him. "Who would have-?"

"A masked man of incredible power," the silver haired youth explained briefly, his eyes lowered. He raised them to face hers as he continued. "Sure as I stand here tonight."

"Masked man…?" The Coremondian elder murmured, folding her arms again and turning her eyes downward presumably in thought. "Did you know who it was? Any discernible clothing?"

"No," Selthris responded as his glassy eyes lowered listlessly in remembrance. "All I could tell were his colours; Naerith colours."

"Well it makes sense," the woman claimed as she tilted her head once in thought. "He had no shortage of enemies in Naerith and they've always despised Aselia," she spoke before wincing lightly and smiling back down at him. "Sorry," she apologised with a light chuckle, drawing a similar smile from the boy who merely shook it off with a shake of his head. "Still though. For the man I knew to be slain like that…," she began again, biting her lip and narrowing her eyes. "What news."

"It is what has brought our force this far out," Selthris replied lightly and with a frown to match. The woman raised her head and eyebrow curiously once more, allowing him to continue. "We had been previously stationed in Highwood west of here, but they were attacked so… we came out of hiding to help them."

"And as a result now they're out for your blood," Salnarra shot back with a light grin. "Not that they weren't already."

"Y-Yes," Selthris chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head in a show of old habit. "They have already managed to overwhelm and subjugate what remains of my homeland and I…," the boy trailed off as he lowered his head and shut his eyes, shaking his head. "Without my father I… I don't know what to do." He uttered, cringing as pathetically as he felt. The watching Salnarra drew forth a sad frown upon her expression as she watched before opening her mouth to respond.

"I know," she simply answered, drawing a surprised frown from the boy. "I'm sorry for potentially opening up any wounds," the woman apologised lightly. "So, this is your course of action then?" She asked, her tone shifting from soft to firm as she narrowed her eyes. The young Lord raised a silver eyebrow as he listened. "To traipse through our lands so carelessly?"

"I assure you, we meant no-"

"That's not what I refer to, young Lord," the woman interrupted firmly. Selthris blinked but remained quiet and listened. "Your military force, Lord Selthris," the elder referenced, her arms folded. "You cannot hope to defeat Naerith's military as you are; they are well prepared and well-armed."

"This… is true," Selthris agreed, lowering his head in temporary defeat. "But…"

"Yes?"

"I won't abandon my people," the boy spoke firmly for the first time; his eyes narrowed as they snapped back up to glare at her. "And that man."

"Man?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The masked man, my father's killer."

"You want revenge, is that it?" Salnarra shot back quickly, tilting her head curiously at him. The boy glared back at her, his anger focused at the man he spoke of. "It is…," she murmured, biting the inside of her lip as she watched him carefully. "I see him in you; his brazenness," she continued, a small smile adorned on her face as she spoke. Selthris lost his hard frown, blushing lightly in response as he lowered his eyes from hers. "Are you serious about this?" The woman requested, raising a curious eyebrow upward. Selthris looked back up, his hard frown returned to his expression. "Because if you do this… you may lose sight of who you are."

Selthris blinked in surprised. "W-What do you mean?"

"I've… seen how this acts before," the elder claimed as she turned her head away, eyes glassy as if in remembrance. "It's like a poison; it takes the worst aspects of a person and magnifies them a thousand-fold. Whatever words they are given to the contrary usually fall upon deaf ears," she explained briefly before turning back to face the youth with a soft but firm expression. She raised an eyebrow. "If you do this, you'll be dragging every one of those soldiers you command into it. Are they prepared for this?"

"I won't involve them," Selthris shot back almost immediately, his own frown soft but unrelenting. "This is my matter; a family matter, mine alone."

"You say this but how long will it be until they make it their business, hm?" Salnarra fired back in response, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. "They are more than just your soldiers; they are your friends," she explained briefly however, received a curt turn of the boy's head. She raised a curious eyebrow at his indignant frown. "They're… not?"

"No," he replied quickly enough, his eyes snapping back to glare at her. "If I wasn't the next in line they wouldn't bother to have the time of day for me."

"That's a rather cynical view on them," Salnarra chuckled amusedly, further curious. "What if you're wrong and they'd follow you regardless?"

"Then Narga have pity on them," Selthris murmured, lowering his eyes presumably in thought. "I only have one true friend," he continued lowly, eliciting another raised eyebrow from the woman. "Leo."

"Leo?" She parroted, blinking. "You mean that striking young man, the charismatic one?"

Selthris nodded wordlessly, his eyes on the ground.

She stared at him, unsure. "Why?" She only asked.

"I don't know why," he replied in a low murmur. "But he was there when no one else would be," he explained briefly, turning his eyes around to the open exit of the tent. Leo stood, transfixing a number of the Coremond camp members and one or two of their own members in a conversation, a grin on his face. "Wouldn't matter if I was rich or poor; he'd still be there for me."

Salnarra stayed quiet for a second or two before folding her arms and smirking lightly. "Well that's nice; you're far more reserved than your father ever was…," she continued with a light frown before morphing it into a smile. "But then who said we need to be a carbon copy of them, hm?"

Selthris smiled for the first time in a while as he turned back to face her.

"So, your current course of action is to travel past these plains and then into the Sohanthian empire, am I correct?"

Selthris nodded, his business-like frown returning to him. "Yes."

"To do… what exactly?" She questioned, raising a curious eyebrow as she did so.

"To petition the empire for assistance," the boy claimed. "They aren't involved in this yet and… perhaps they can help."

"They've generally always remained neutral, Lord Selthris," Salnarra shot back, folding her arms as she tilted her head at him expectantly. "Surely you have a backup plan?"

"Yes…," he began, lowering his eyes, perhaps unsure as to whether to continue. He re-raised his eyes and frowned hard as he did however. "If this fails then I will continue on to Etherthien."

"The mountains of Etherthien," Salnarra whispered, her eyes narrowing lightly. "That's quite a challenge."

Selthris remained wordless as he frowned back.

"Are you sure that is the best course of action for your military force? I mean what if-"

"Many things could happen in the interim Lady Salnarra," Selthris interrupted, perhaps impatient. She was taken aback, perhaps surprised by his sudden boldness. "But it is all we have left. Do you understand?" He added, a hard frown and glare to his face and his eyes respectively. She stared back, arms folded.

"Yes, I suppose I do," she sighed lightly, frowning as she did so. "You've been given a bum hand son," she chuckled humourlessly, turning a corner of her lips up as she smiled wanly down at him. "You're handling it well at least."

"I have to," the young Lord replied lowly as he descended his head downward, presumably in thought. "I'm not going to let Naerith do what they please."

"You're definitely his son all right," Salnarra chuckled, this time in genuine humour as she watched the curious boy. "Can't stand the thought of them running riot down there in Aselia huh?"

"No." He replied through grit teeth.

"Just be careful," she spoke, this time with a frown. He raised his curious eyes back upward, allowing her to continue. "With this quest of revenge of yours I mean," she added, frowning as she did so. "The more you focus on it, the less rational you become. The more emotionally invested you are, the less objective you can be." She explained.

"I'll be fine," he warded her warning off with a simple shake of his head. "I was taught to balance well, and I can do that just fine."

Salnarra nodded her head wordlessly in response as she watched him curiously. "Okay, come on then."

"Huh?" The boy blinked, surprised as she turned toward the exit of her tent. She turned back to face him with a light grin.

"We're going to help you out, aren't we?" The Coremondian elder chanced a grin at him as she lowered her stance to exit, nodding her head toward the outside. "Come on."

Selthris blinked once more inquisitively before narrowing his eyes and following her.

"Hey!" Leo's ever exuberant call came from the small group; he turned to face the approaching two with a grin, his arm raised upward in greeting. "You guys talk it all out?"

"Indeed," Salnarra smirked back in response, turning her eyes to face the frowning Selthris. He forced a smile back in response before nodding over toward his Mercenary friend. "We had just reached an agreement actually."

"Oh yeah?" Leo chanced with one of his usual grins. "What's the word?"

"Following a duel with our best warrior, I will hand your military force some fighting strength and provisions for the long road ahead," she explained quickly. Leo's eyes widened in surprise and even Selthris double took, shocked. She turned to face him and raised an eyebrow at him. "And it has to be you that fights I'm afraid, Lord Selthris."

"W-Wha- B-But this isn't-"

"You agreed to this Sel?" Leo asked, incredulously surprised at the woman's words, turning to face him curiously.

"N-No I-"

"In the duellist's circle in the middle of camp!" Salnarra proclaimed loudly, quickly and easily drawing the attention of the walking Coremondians. "Gather 'round everyone!" The elder called; as expected, a mix of Selthris' group and the Coremondians all approached the area.

"What's going on?" Kay questioned loudly as she walked over to the fast-growing gaggle of people, scanning her eyes around the area as if for the answer. "We finally get our orders?"

"Lord Selthris of the Kingdom of Aselia has agreed with I, your elder and leader, to fight for his honour in the Coremondian duelling ring!" Salnarra proclaimed loudly; almost immediately the men, women and even the listening boys and girls all gave vent to a loud rumble of cheering. Selthris' terrified expression snapped from the bellowing crowd and back to the Coremondian elder. Salnarra shot him a toothy smirk before quickly turning her usual smile on the listening populace. "Should he lose this encounter, it needn't be said that his force will simply be leaving the camp!"

The listening crowd all cheered their agreement and Selthris narrowed his eyes at the woman.

"What is she doing?" He thought to himself as he watched her, unsure.

"But should he prevail…," she began again, this time with a growing smirk. "And we shall lend them aid!"

Again, another bellowing cheer from the honourable Coremondians.

"Sel, you're not really goin' through with this are you?" Leo whispered, lowering his head to evade the rest of the listeners.

Selthris' quaking silver eyes darted between every member of the Coremondian crowd, as if looking for his opponent. "I-I-"

"Gorlin!" Salnarra called, her voice echoing across the plains of Coremond.

STOMP

STOMP

STOMP

Almost immediately and seemingly coming from no-where a huge, hulking brute of a man accompanied the emphatic steps he came with; the man wore Coremondian colours, just like his comrades. He turned his eyes downward to the wide-eyed, terror faced Selthris and glared down at him before slowly leaning down to face him.

"You're it?" He simply whispered as he looked the terrified young Lord up and down. "Tch!" He spat as he snapped his head back upward before stomping off, presumably toward the battlefield.

"Sel you fight that thing and you ain't comin' out of it!" Leo hissed under his breath next to the terrified boy; Selthris turned to face him, eyes still widened. He merely stared back at his close companion, perhaps unable to make a response. His silvery eyes darted back to face the low smirk that Salnarra carried as she stared back at him.

"I agree with Leo," George offered as he lowered to the left to join in the conversation, his own eyes staring at the huge Gorlin warming up in the arena. "You are my lord, but I don't think even Lord Sathryon could stand against that brute."

"Yeah, right(!)" Kay laughed loudly next to the small group, before grinning in Gorlin's direction. "Lord Sathryon'd eat that guy for breakfast." Kay grinned confidently.

"This is hardly helpful Kay!" George hissed angrily in her own direction, clenching his two fists as he did so. "Lord Selthris is clearly not ready for-"

"He's the boss' son! He can do this!" Kay interrupted with one of her usual grins, even pumping a confident fist in the air to emphasise her words.

Selthris gulped down a load of saliva as he watched the hulking giant prepare, their words lost to him.

What was Salnarra's game? They hadn't discussed this, not that he remembered.

Was she testing him somehow…?

Selthris took a few seconds to steady his beating heart and breathed in deeply before letting go, just as his father had taught him.

"Selthris, try to remember some of the basics of close quarters combat."

His father's voice echoed across the walls of his mind as he snapped open his silvery eyes and stalked toward the duellist's ring offered to him, forcing an aura of confidence. He forced all other sounds from his ears, including those of his companions.

Leo's in particular.

The young Lord stood on the opposite end of the duellist's ring, hard eyes glaring forward in some attempt to seem confident; Gorlin merely raised a curious eyebrow upward as he watched, placing a hand on his hip.

"All the way from the Kingdom of Aselia and the son of the greatly debated topic, the greatest warrior in the world, Selthris Vikeruce!" Salnarra's loud voice announced, eliciting an excited audible cheer from the listening audience.

Selthris stared hard at the smirking Gorlin, as if waiting for him to rush at him at the first sign of combat.

"And the warrior you all know and love!" The Coremondian elder's voice continued loudly; the audience cheered even louder. "Gorlin of Coremond; 'The Rock of the Plains!'"

Selthris drowned out the sound of the screaming audience and focused on the many pieces of advice his father had given him over the years; in particular, about strength.

"Remember Selthris, you won't come out of any fight alive if all you go in with are hopes. If someone is stronger than you are, gain information."

That was off the table already; he was thrust in this confrontation very suddenly.

"If that's not possible then try to learn your opponent's habits; watch them, be patient."

I can do that, he thought. Being patient was one of his few strengths.

"If someone is stronger than you are… try to use that strength against them. Especially if they're not very intelligent."

His eyes watched the grinning man, cracking his knuckles overhead hungrily.

He didn't seem stupid… but Selthris was always one to be proven wrong.

"Remember son; there is always an answer. You just have to find it."

"Yes, father," Selthris murmured, more to himself than anything else. The watching Gorlin raised a hesitant eyebrow, perhaps intrigued. "I won't fail," he spoke through grit teeth, breathing heavily as he glared back at the curious Coremondian. "Not again."

"Fighters, ready!" Salnarra's loud voice came from behind the boy, tensing up his already tense shoulders. Selthris and Gorlin glared at one another, scowling and grinning respectively. "Engage!"

2

Gorlin brought the fight to Selthris with an immediate charge; the ground shook terribly under his imposing weight and Selthris grunted lightly as he rolled to the right in an effort to evade. Just as Selthris had predicted, the charging Gorlin found it difficult to change his trajectory at all and Selthris used it to his advantage; the young Lord narrowed his silver eyes at the man hard as he channelled his Aegir to the iron sword he always carried. His Aegir quickly switched to his affinity, lightning and the silvery haired youth immediately gave chase to the turning Gorlin, watching him expectantly and ready to block.

Have to finish this quick, he thought panicking as he rushed the large man, the lightning on his iron sword chirping away loudly and lighting up the area he ran on beautifully. Though the watching audience's roars and calls were loud, Selthris drowned them out with his raising adrenaline, his focus on the man ahead of him.

Finally, the young Lord leapt at the narrow eyed Gorlin before coming down on him hard with the lightning infused sword, a fairly direct attack; Gorlin easily saw it coming and laughed as he descended down to meet him.

"Is that it?!" The large man guffawed.

Almost as if in answer to his words however, the quick youth suddenly disappeared from common view alerting the wide-eyed Gorlin and the gasping audience.

"Wha-?!" The hulking man gasped, his eyes darting around for the missing Lord. His eyes widened once more however, and he let out another surprised gasp before snapping his body around to raise his armoured arms to block the air attacking youth. This time it was Selthris' turn to widen his eyes and gasp as his attack was blocked, chirps and flashes of the lightning bouncing off harmlessly.

"No!"

"Oh yes!" Gorlin laughed along with the watching and cheering audience; he let out an effort filled yell as he broke the gasping boy's aerial strike, the lightning quickly dissipating as Selthris stumbled backward, still aerial with the use of his Aegir. Gorlin's laugh prevailed as he used his large left arm to grab the boy by the scruff of his silver tabard and turned his body around to descend downward; a clear and simple smash. Selthris gripped the man's incredibly strengthened grip and widened his eyes as he watched the ground approach at a terrifying rate, grit teeth and all. Finally, and all at once Gorlin let out an effort filled roar as he smashed the boy into the ground brutally, kicking up rocks, dirt and smoke; the watching audience let forth a deafening cheer to accompany the second roar that Gorlin let loose, a warrior's cry.

"You have to stop this!" Leo called over as he rushed toward the folded armed watching Salnarra; she turned her head around to face the young man, raising a curious eyebrow upward. "He's clearly outmatched!"

"Oh, he'll be fine," Salnarra replied as she regained her low smirk, perhaps amused by the Mercenary's worry. She returned her attention to the confrontation as she continued. "Trust me." She simply claimed, making the youth growl in response. Leo turned to watch the fight with her, a contrasting worried expression on his face.

Finally, the smoke began to clear and the fallen form of the badly bruised, bloody and battered Selthris lay on the ground, clearly finished. Gorlin let out a guffawing, derisive laugh as he watched the result of his previous attack.

"Truly, is this all I get from the son of Dracolius' greatest warrior?" The hulking brute chuckled as he shook his head down at the lying boy. "What a joke." The man added in a low hiss before raising his arm skyward as he would a great hammer. He lay forth to a simple grinning grunt as he plummeted his arm in an attempt to end the confrontation however, as his fist connected with the form of the fallen boy it simply passed through, as it would a spectre. He blinked down at the sight, unsure of what to make of it. "What the-?" He murmured before the youth's form suddenly flashed and became transparent. Gorlin's eyes widened in recognition and he gasped, but it was far too late.

An after-image.

He turned in some attempt even to block an incoming attack, but the man just simply wasn't ready; the bloody faced Selthris scowled as he bulleted across his opponent's feet with a long and quick sweep. Gorlin gasped as he was swiftly knocked from his footing, dropping to the ground; time seemed to slow down as Selthris promptly followed up his sweep with a back-flipping kick, sending the grunting man skyward. Gorlin gasped as he was sent into the air, spinning harmlessly, his eyes darting around for his missing opponent. He never managed to get a decent look of him however; the super-fast Selthris used his seemingly superior speed to overtake the large man in speeding by his position and slashing him with each pass he made. Gorlin let out a pained yell as he did so; the ache wasn't too bad on its own but as Selthris continued to assault the easy target with numerous swipes and slashes the pain with each of the individual wounds grew and with it, anger. Gorlin's gradual low yell of anger began early as he was endlessly assaulted with a barrage of quick swipes before, finally, Selthris stopped in mid-air, lifted by his Aegir. His iron sword was covered with lightning once more and his silver eyes widened as he exchanged his battered and bloody scowl with the wide-eyed glower that Gorlin wore.

Selthris spun his lightning infused iron sword around his right hand once before letting loose a battle cry to go along with his opponent's gradual yell of anger and pain; the swift-footed Lord charged at his opponent presumably with everything else he had in store. His battle cry reverberated across the invisible walls of the duellist's ring as he made contact with the similarly bellowing Gorlin; Selthris spun his body and his sword in a maddened final attack, catching the grunting and wide-eyed Gorlin in a whirlwind of lightning and offence. Time seemed to slow down for the pair as Selthris finally finished his attack, still gripping his sword as he did so; Gorlin finally showed his state to the audience. He let loose a cough of blood, his body cut to ribbons as he dropped wordlessly to the ground the watching audience deathly silent. He crashed to the ground with a deafening echo, spitting up rocks, dirt and smoke as once before however this time on an unfamiliar perspective. Selthris flipped forward once as he landed, gasping endlessly in the effort he exuded to seemingly finish off the large man, knelt down on one knee as he did so. The spiky, silver haired sword fighter turned his sweat faced head around to watch his results of his counter-offence, hoping with every ounce of his being that his opponent was finished off.

The area seemed to fall deathly silent as Selthris gasped from his previous effort, watching and waiting. The tension rose to a palpable height before, finally, like a boiling knife through frozen butter the fallen Gorlin growled loudly as he raised himself upward. Selthris' silver eyes widened, and he gasped, his breath caught in his throat as the watching Coremondian audience yelled their approval for the duel thus far. Gorlin growled once more as he cricked his neck from side to side and ran his arms around his shoulders, as if in some pre-workout exercise. He turned his electrocuted, bloody and cut face to confront his shock-expressed opponent and merely grinned in spite of the presumable pain he endured.

"Not bad," he began as he turned the rest of his body to face the kneeling boy. "You're a little better 'n I thought kid," the Coremondian warrior rumbled as he began advancing on the youth with a hungry grin adorned on his expression. Selthris' eyes twitched from a mixture of the pain and growing terror as he watched, unsure what to do. Gorlin cracked his knuckles as he advanced, smirking. "Thought I'd get some mirror to how the legend really fights… but you ain't nearly as strong as he is," the large man chuckled dangerously before he suddenly ended his chuckle with a low and abrupt slam of the ground; the strike was hard enough to forcefully pull the rock from the ground that Selthris knelt on upward, sending the gasping and seemingly tired boy skyward. "Easy prey!" The hulking warrior laughed victoriously; he didn't even look when he grappled what he thought was the boy's left foot and plunged him down to the ground previously behind his person. The watching Coremondian audience yelled on their approval for their home warrior, cheering loudly as he laughed eyes widened to his seeming prize.

Once again, the ground smashed with a cacophony to match the previous one, drawing an excited roar from the watching crowd. Gorlin turned his grin on the crowd once more and let loose a long roar of pride, beating his chest as he did so; seemingly a Coremondian practice. Just as before, the ground was shook terribly and rocks, dirt and smoke pervaded the ring as the warrior battle cried victoriously. Finally, however as the smoke dissipated, Gorlin was allowed a quick glance down; he double took. His eyes widened when he didn't see the fallen Selthris, battered and bloodied as he had expected. Instead, in his place, was the very hunk of rock that he had previously used to toss the previously defenceless boy upward.

"Not again?!" Gorlin roared, part anger and part fear torn as his eyes darted to his undefended rear; the hard-faced scowling Selthris met with him once again and leapt at him with a sudden barrage of slashes and cuts, his iron sword chirping with electricity once more. Gorlin let loose a small series of grunts of pain he did his best to block the attacks; the lightning Aegir seemed to help in bypassing through the man's defence. "What is this, the chip damage technique?!" Gorlin roared in the scowling spinning boy's face; Selthris didn't bother responding, he merely continued in his seemingly endless barrage of counter-attacks.

Gorlin had finally had enough.

The large warrior let forth to a guttural roar as he channelled his Aegir to his arms and legs and spread them apart in a show of defensive prowess. Selthris gasped as his next strike fell upon what felt like hard rock; he cursed as he realised the man used his Aegir defensively and properly, easily checking and countering his own technique. Gorlin's bloodied and burnt grin returned to his expression as he snapped his head downward to confront the silver haired boy.

"So, you want swords, do you?" He exclaimed, his deep voice bouncing off the camp walls, eliciting a surprised raised eyebrow from his watching and listening opponent. Gorlin swerved his head around to grin at his elder. "Elder!"

The watching Salnarra put on her own seemingly amused smirk as she tossed a little more than a handful of sheathed seeming swords. The watching audience let out a shocked gasp as they watched, and Kay's eyes widened similarly as she also witnessed the action.

"Is that even allowed?" She requested, tilting her head curiously.

"Considering he was fighting bare handed beforehand, yeah," Leo began worriedly as he turned his brown eyes over to the blinking blonde Social Knight on his left. His eyes however quickly hovered back to glare suspiciously at the similarly smirking Salnarra. "I'd say it is." He finished roughly.

"It's amazing Lord Selthris has truly persevered this far but…" George stated, his words lowering to a concerned murmur as he ended his sentence.

"Think he's gonna finally buy it, huh?" Sabine offered suddenly, one of his arms resting on his hips as he hovered his own eyes over to the dark-blonde haired Social Knight.

"Hardly," Gerard snorted on the side, glaring annoyedly at the Archer as he folded his arms. "Lord Selthris may not be his father but he's got his gumption." The Armour Knight continued confidently as he returned his attention to the fight.

"Sabine's right," Edgar curtly spoke however, drawing most of the small group's attention; the Axe Fighter watched the fight with low lidden eyes, perhaps almost sadly. "The kid just ain't got the mental or physical strength to survive out there," he continued, pulling some worried silent looks from the listening crowd. "Doesn't matter whose son he is." The seemingly wise young man claimed.

"My thoughts exactly," Leo agreed lowly, a sad yet hard frown etched on his own expression. "I don't see him getting out of this alive."

"You all hold far too much concern," Salnarra chuckled amusedly as she turned to face the small group. Her arms folded she shrugged them at them. "This is just a friendly sparring match; nothing more."

"Look at him!" Leo suddenly yelled angrily, quickly drawing the silence of even the watching Coremondian crowd; their attention garnered, they listened. "He can barely stand!"

As they turned to confirm the youth's words, sure enough, the scowling faced, battered, bloody and bruised Selthris was a picture of many things; fear, loss of hope, even anger.

And of course, pain.

The silvery haired Lord's left footing shook terribly as he attempted to stay upward, seemingly even a task in and of itself.

"This isn't friendly!" Leo continued angrily, turning his glare on the frowning Salnarra. "This is for real; he's gonna die if this keeps up!"

The Coremondian elder watched the concerned Mercenary for a second or two before, finally, turning to face the battlefield. "Lord Selthris!" She suddenly called, drawing the gasping young man's attention upward; he shakily rose his head upward and around to face hers. "Do you wish to forfeit?" She called over loudly enough; both crowds watching silently. A few seconds seemed to pass uneventfully as Selthris merely blinked over at her, unsure of her intentions before, finally he turned back to face the grinning Gorlin unsheathing his seven blades.

"N-No."

Leo's brown eyes widened in pure shock as his words barely reached them.

"I-I'm… I'm doing this…," the young Lord growled lowly, his voice gurgling with blood; the boy turned and spat out the red liquid, staining the ground with a deep crimson. His silvery eyes glared back at the smirking Gorlin. "For me." He finished with a hard narrow of his eyes.

The watching crowds remained silent, almost as if unable to believe the small youth's words before suddenly bursting into cheering roars of agreement for the boy. Salnarra regained her seemingly amused smirk and went into her clothing, presumably for something. "Then here!" She called out, flicking him something. Selthris' low lidden eyes widened as he caught it shining in the sunlight before using his free left hand to grasp the unknown item.

A small bean.

"What the…?" Selthris murmured as he blinked down unknowingly at it.

"Eat it!" Salnarra advised loudly, eliciting a yell of approval from the listening Coremondian crowd.

"What is-?" Leo began unsurely, his eyes double taking from the situation on the battlefield to the watching and smirking Salnarra. She turned her eyes downward to face him.

"Watch and you shall see."

Even as he did as he was instructed it worked surprisingly fast; Selthris gasped as he found most of his wounds healing and his energy swiftly returning to him, the only proof of his previous wounds being his ripped clothing.

"What's-?!" The Lord began, shocked as he turned his eyes around himself in search for the effect bestowed upon him.

The watching Gorlin merely grinned as he watched the youth marvel at his changing position, placing the unsheathed swords within separate places of his body, seemingly for use. The shining of the blades caught the gasping Selthris' attention and he snapped his eyes upward to watch.

Gorlin stood in a strange stance; the seven small swords he wore around his body were supported by his one footed stance; one in his mouth held by the hilt, one hanging in the alcove on his similarly hanging upward left arm, one over his right shoulder, one between his arm and left wrist, one under his left armpit, one held in his waist and, finally, one hanging under his right, raised leg.

Selthris marvelled at the man's form, his silvery eyes darting between each blade, never having seen this before.

"Coremond's seven sword technique." Gorlin merely spoke, his words somewhat muffled from the hilt of one of his swords. He grinned as ever at his marvelling opponent before leaning downward, presumably to continue.

Selthris' eyes glared forward.

\--

Although as large as he was, Gorlin was clearly holding back; the hulking warrior easily leapt high into the air, his seven small swords singing in the sunlight as he did so. He spun just as Selthris previously did before, finally, plummeting downward in an attack meant for the watching Aselian lord. The initial strike they made seemed to slow down time for the pair; Selthris raised his iron sword diagonally upward to block the incoming attack, glaring back at the grinning expression on the large man's face. The Coremondian warrior used the force from his weapons to push from the boy, flipping backward in recovery. Even as he landed however, the grinning Gorlin spun his body around using one of his lower swords in an attempt to catch the super-fast Selthris off guard; the young Lord saw the attack coming and short-hopped diagonally upward as he blocked the low attack, similarly diagonally. As Selthris spun around in recovery, Gorlin pressed the attack with a quick-spinning barrage of horizontal slashes; Selthris shot his sword across the air to defend the strikes, the blades singing against one another noisily.

Gorlin chuckled lowly as he side-flipped over the gasping silvery-haired Lord; the youth traced him and blocked the overhead slice he received from his opponent. As the large man landed he spun around once more in a singing shower of steel, forcing the loudly cursing Selthris backward in recovery; the deft youth back-flipped using his free left hand and blocked the sudden strikes with his right, eyes watching his opponent with a careful glare. Seemingly on a permanent offensive, Gorlin laughed as he twisted his body 'round once again in a charge, his small swords clashing with the gasping Selthris' defensive one; the boy growled as he twirled around backward to evade some of the slashes while blocking the others. Finally, Selthris' silver eyes widened as he saw an opportunity open up in his large opponent's recovering spin; the young Lord leapt forward with a hard scowl, ready to counterattack. Gorlin let out yet another enduring chuckle as he watched the boy jump for him before laughing even louder as he used one of his many swords to block the oncoming thrust. He grinned further as he used the boy's light weight to kangaroo kick the youth backward into the air. He, of course, gave chase.

Selthris gasped as he used his Aegir to steady himself in the air, turning to face his pursuing opponent; Gorlin grinned endlessly as he twirled magnificently as he approached, forcing the growling Selthris to twist his body around similarly in a contrasting defensive manoeuvre. In one of Gorlin's many pursuing strikes, he used his last to push the gasping young boy forward, sending him plummeting downward. Even as he landed with a soft thud, Gorlin seemingly gave no quarter to the silvery haired youth; he tossed three of the swords hanging from his limbs, one after the other in pursuit of the youth. Selthris gasped once more as he sidestepped to his right and even quick-rolled to evade the incoming blades; Gorlin used his athletics to roll afterward to recover his swords and chuckled once more as he did so. Selthris growled as he used this precious opportunity to lunge at the man with a wide horizontal swipe; Gorlin merely laughed as he side-flipped in evasion, drawing a hard growl and grunt from the boy.

"Tch!" Selthris grunted, his eyes quickly following the large man. Gorlin came back down on him with a hard downward slash of his swords; as before, Selthris managed to block them and the two were engaged in yet another round of twirls and noisy clangs. Once again Gorlin laid the offence forth with a leaping twirl of his body, slashing the gasping Selthris' own lightning quick adapting backward leaps; he short-hopped backward as he blocked at least five slashes from his opponent before replying back with a super-fast round of slices. Needless to say, Gorlin easily countered them all with expert spins and twists of his body to both defend and attack in response and the man laughed as he did so. Selthris' eyes widened as he realised fatigue was quickly setting in and he was beginning to fall behind the large man's offence; even as he short-hopped once again in an attempt to evade, block and attack he found at least one of the many slices Gorlin delivered get through. His already ripped trousers were ripped lightly once again as one of Gorlin's low swords got through to his leg, visibly drawing blood. Selthris' eyes widened but the adrenaline the fight offered kept his mind focused on the confrontation; Gorlin pressed on his luck and grinned as he spun continually, drawing the sword hanging on his arm across the wide-eyed Lord's face. Selthris scowled as he felt the steel easily open his cheek in a minor wound, as before with his leg, blood visibly jumping from it.

Selthris gasped as he side-stepped to his left in some effort to avoid the rest of Gorlin's seemingly endless offence; time slowed down once more for the youth as he watched the grinning Gorlin handstand on one of his free hands, numerous of his seven swords leaping free and wild from his body. Selthris' eyes darted desperately around in watch of the free blades, but this was his mistake; he only noticed it when he heard the laughing Gorlin plunge downward, seemingly having leapt earlier when he took his attention from him. The Aselian blueblood grunted as he used his sword in some attempt to block the incoming overhead; Gorlin caught one of the swirling blades in the air and twirled it rapidly before coming down on the gasping boy hard. Selthris was forced staggering one step backward from the sheer intensity of his opponent's plummeting overhead, offering him yet more time to pursue; the Coremondian swordsman chuckled lowly as he swept the gasping boy roughly, sending him spinning upward, defenceless. Selthris stared back at his smirking opponent, eyes widened in incoming fear as opposed to the man's grin.

"No!" Leo's loud yell came from the watching group but Selthris barely heard it; his attention watching his opponent's next action.

"I can see it but…," Selthris began in his mind wordlessly as his worried frown twitched in growing concern. "I can't do a thing!"

As if reading his thoughts, Gorlin smirked once more as he twirled two of his blades 'round his hands and drew them roughly across the boy's undefended body, sending him yelling and spinning madly across the duellist's ring, blood from his new open wound, as well as his sword, following him. It clattered noisily across the ground as it spun around next to the fallen boy. The watching Coremondian crowd were drawn in silent awe as they watched the warriors seemingly finish the first act; Selthris grunted once as he shakily rose himself to all fours, sweating as he used his free right hands to grasp his pained wound across his chest. His eyes scrunched shut as he coughed out blood roughly from his throat, staining the ground with yet more crimson. The action seemed to trigger the previously silent audience into screaming their approval for the duel they witnessed.

3

"Impressive!" Gorlin's loud praise came from the front; Selthris grunted as he raised his head upward to face the man shakily. The approaching hulking Coremondian merely grinned over at the fallen Aselian boy. "You're his son all right," the man confirmed with a chuckling grin. "No one else has even matched that speed let alone survived what I offered here today."

Selthris growled lowly as he attempted to steady his static breathing, his right hand still shaking on his bleeding chest.

A corner of Gorlin's lip upturned, seemingly in amusement. "But you still young ain'tcha?" He accused with another chuckle, eliciting a hard-eyed narrow of the boy's silver eyes. "I can see it in your style," he continued as he watched the boy carefully, drawing a curiously raised eyebrow from him in response. "You're hesitant, unformed. Naïve," he analysed deftly as he narrowed his own eyes forward. Though breathing erratically from his earlier wound and still lightly shaking, Selthris simply glared back at the man before turning his head and spitting out blood once more, his eyes never leaving his opponent's. "You lost him recently, didn't you?" Gorlin finished lowly and this time with a frown adorned, speaking his words less of a question than an actual factual statement. Selthris' scowl grew worse as he listened and even twitched in response to the man's words. Gorlin sighed lowly as he shut his eyes and turned his body around, dropping the swords on his person with a noisy clang to the ground. "I know what it's like to lose one's parents," he spoke once more as he lowered his eyes to the ground, perhaps in remembrance. "There's no point in continuing this; stay down son." Gorlin merely finished, throwing his words over his shoulder roughly.

Selthris growled and managed to steady his breathing as he raised himself upward shakily, using his iron sword to steady his body. Gorlin stopped walking almost immediately as he heard the loud and veritable clang of steel that the blade offered. Though wordless, Selthris merely growled amidst the hard breaths he took, his free right hand grasping at his pained chest glaring at the hulking man ahead of him with a clear anger to his tone. Gorlin turned his head and his body around deliberately slowly to face the fierce anger that his young opponent so obviously employed. A couple of uneventful seconds passed between them as the two watched one another, one glaring angrily and the other almost pitiful. The watching crowd remained silent as they witnessed and listened.

"You lookin' at me boy?" Gorlin called over loudly enough to sound firm as he narrowed his eyes lightly. Selthris merely remained wordless and continued to glare at his former opponent heatedly. "Killing me won't bring him back," the large Coremondian claimed roughly as he frowned solidly back in response. "Trust me when I say there ain't no comin' back once you go down this road son," he continued firmly, his large body leant to the side as he spoke, his words seemingly filled with previous wisdom. "That anger…," Gorlin murmured at first as he narrowed his eyes forward in recognition; watching the hateful glower in the boy's eyes. "Put it aside," his voice intoned. "It ain't worth it. Believe me." He finally finished as he frowned firmly back at the boy.

Perhaps finally giving in to the grievous wound inflicted on him earlier, Selthris let out a final gurgling cough of blood before slumping forward in defeat, dropping to the ground with a final pained grunt. His iron sword dropped from his left hand, clattering noisily to the ground next to him.

He barely heard the clamour of the watching, worried audience when he did.


	8. Cross the Distance

Chapter 8: Cross the Distance; To the Land of Sohantha!  
Expedition to Etherthien Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Behind the Clouds" – Black Lagoon OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Dizzy Maniac" – Black Lagoon (Roberta's Blood Trail OST). Scene 1 (First Half).  
"Dark Side of the Moon" – Black Lagoon OST. Scene 4 (First Half).

\--

While discussing terms in private, Lord Selthris of Aselia explains his small force's barren situation: Aselia has been taken in a gamble thrown by the dice of Naerith's king Alpheus and his father, the famed Sathryon Vikeruce, has been murdered by a Naerithian general a mysterious masked man. He explains that his best course of action is to travel to the lands of Sohantha and Etherthien in an attempt to garner military assistance to his kingdom's plight. Salnarra, elder of the Coremondian people, agrees to assist him but only if he duels their peoples' champion, the warrior Gorlin.

During this exchange, Selthris is horribly outclassed and though he fights valiantly is put down by the brutal methods of the Coremondian fighting style. The fight seems to awaken deep, inner feelings within the boy and Selthris seems to focus his anger and rage on the patient and understanding man. Gorlin merely waves it off however though advises him with a harsh warning before Selthris finally admits defeat, though unwillingly, to his grievous wounds.

Left alone to recover and mull on the situation, Selthris finally wakes…

\--

Scene 1

"Don't you understand Selthris? Nothing will change like this!"

"This world… there are no true warriors… it's full of politicians!"

"The only person, aside from us, that is a true warrior is… our father. Sathryon Vikeruce."

Selthris gasped himself awake, his silvery eyes widening.

What was-?

His eyes darted around himself, quickly noting the quilt on his bandaged body. Soon, his memory returned to him.

Lady Salnarra of the Coremond plains.

Her arrangement with him.

The duel with Gorlin.

And the aftermath…

His mind quickly recollected his feelings of anger and hatred, directing them unfairly toward his opponent; he hadn't even known the man.

So why was he so…?

He suddenly remembered the man's speech, just before he fell unconscious. When he was told to drop his anger.

"Where did it come from…?" He thought to himself with a concerned frown adorned on his expression as he turned his eyes upward to the tent's ceiling.

It was an unnatural kind of anger, but he knew who it was focused at, at the very least.

The masked man of Naerith.

Selthris' knuckles quickly grew white and his eyes narrowed as his mind crossed the Naerithian soldier.

There it was again; that anger.

"What is wrong with me…?" Selthris murmured despairingly, shutting his eyes as his grip on his quilt softened.

"Lord Selthris?"

He gasped and snapped his head around to the tent's seeming exit. "Y-Yes?" He called back in response, unsure of the voice's identity.

"It is I, Salnarra," the woman gave claim to as she spoke in response. "May I come in? Are you decent?"

"U-Um y-yes, you may." The young Lord stammered in response; the tent's walls opened and there she was in the same clothing he remembered her for.

"How are you feeling?" She opened with, raising a curious brown eyebrow.

"I…," he trailed off, lowering his eyes from hers. "I'm… fine."

"Good," the elder murmured thoughtfully as she nodded. "I've been worried. We all have."

"I'm… I'm sorry," Selthris replied lightly, turning his gaze downward to the quilt in his hand. "I… I didn't mean to…"

"No, I should be the one to apologise, Lord Selthris," Salnarra interrupted softly as she chanced a step forward and frowned down at him. "I thrust you into an unavoidable battle and I fear it may have opened old wounds."

"You all saw it; I know," Selthris simply shot back with as he frowned away from her, hard. "I know what's wrong with me."

"Gorlin… would like to apologise as well," Salnarra replied, as if he hadn't spoken. He turned to face her, curious. "He fears he has stepped too far."

"No, it's… not his burden," Selthris simply shook off as he turned his head away from the woman once more. "It's my problem and I should have contained it, but I didn't." He claimed. Salnarra gripped her elbows softly together as she watched him for a few seconds before finally replying.

"Regardless I have decided to give your military force some aid," the Coremondian elder claimed, drawing his surprised attention once again. "It is… the least I can do, for Sathryon's only son." She finished in an apologetic murmur. Selthris turned his initially curious frown into a sad and wan smile as he turned back away from her.

"Thank you… Lady Salnarra," he thanked. "I won't squander this generous favour and I will repay you; I promise." He claimed as he turned to smile back at her. She smiled lightly in response before nodding and heading for the exit.

"Oh um…," she began again as she turned her head back on her way out. Selthris blinked, curious. "You were right about your companion… Leo was it?"

"H-Huh?" Selthris managed out in surprise.

"He's been out here worried about you all day," she chuckled over her shoulder, eliciting a small upturn of a smile on the boy's face. "Been complaining that I pushed you too hard."

"It's… it's fine I-"

"He's asking to be let in to see you, shall I send him in?" She requested, drawing a smiling nod from the Lord. She threw one of her own light smiles over her shoulder one more time before finally leaving.

Almost immediately the hard-faced Leo stormed in, glaring at the surprised youth.

"You!" He accused suddenly, eliciting a worried frown from the Lord.

"W-What did I-?"

"You still fought him? Even after you knew you couldn't win?" The Mercenary complained angrily, his words clearly prepared. Selthris, knowing of his best friend's words, lowering his own eyes and sighed lowly.

"I-I know, p-please hear me out Leo-"

"Do you realise what we all go through to keep you alive?"

"I-I know Leo I-"

"But you'd rather be dead? Is that what you want?"

"N-No I-"

"I know I can't quite work you out anymore Sel and I'm your-"

"Leo!" Selthris suddenly exclaimed, annoyed; the surprised frowning Mercenary in question sighed lowly as he descended his own eyes.

"So…? What do you have to say for yourself then?" The short-brown haired youth interrogated lightly as he folded his arms at the younger boy and watched. "Throw me it."

"I…," Selthris began again as he lowered his eyes once more, presumably in thought. "I don't know why I was so angry and so focused on killing the man; I didn't even know him."

"Can say that again," Leo muttered annoyedly as he took a seat next to the boy and crossed his legs, tilting his head as he did so. "Poor bastard thinks you despise him."

"I know; I-I don't," Selthris replied sadly as he turned away from the older, wiser male. "I think…," he began again, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. "I think this business with my father's killer got involved somehow."

"You mean with that guy with the mask?" The Mercenary questioned curiously, raising a brown eyebrow; Selthris nodded wordlessly and slowly as he faced him. "Hrm," he murmured under his throat as he lowered his own head in thought. "I guess you ain't dealin' with your anger."

Selthris laughed nervously as he turned away from the knowing youth.

"You should have told me," Leo insisted carefully as he scrunched his complexion up softly. "I'm your best friend, aren't I?"

"Y-Yes, of course you are but-"

"But it's tough to talk about," Leo sighed in interruption as he hovered his right leg over his left before chuckling and grinning at the boy. "I figure."

"I'm sorry Leo," Selthris apologised, lowering his head apologetically. "It won't happen again."

"I hope not," the Mercenary murmured lowly. "Some of the guys… they been talkin' about you."

"W-What do you mean?"

"I mean they think you're nuts," he replied suddenly, tilting his head as he did so. "Well, not all of 'em. Edgar still respects you and Kay, Gerard and George are still with you."

"That's… that's good…" He murmured.

"Sabine wasn't impressed though," Leo added as he leant back in his chair. "Looked at you all funny, hasn't spoken about it," the Mercenary murmured onward. "I think he might leave."

"A-Ah…"

"Fuck it; if that's what he wants it's what he wants," Leo shrugged uncaringly as he turned his head back up to face his close friend. "Can't force him after all."

Selthris smiled lightly; even now he knew how to make him feel better.

"Ulric doesn't know quite yet," the Mercenary added with a frown however. "I dunno if we should tell him."

"Ah…," Selthris began in recognition, lowering his head in remembrance; Ulric and his former companion Bernhard had previously duelled for them to gain admission to the camp. Seemed as if he was still in bed recovering from the encounter. "I hope he's okay."

"He'll be fine," Leo waved the matter off with a shake of his head. "Just… get better okay?" The Mercenary smiled lightly as he brusquely stepped up from the chair and playfully slapped the boy's head. "Don't do that shit again."

Selthris couldn't help chuckling lowly as the youth turned to exit, leaving him with his thoughts. His eyes widened in sudden remembrance; he couldn't believe he nearly forgot.

The dream he had earlier; his sister's voice, it had to be her voice.

Why had he suddenly dreamt of her?

"I wonder how she is…" The youth murmured to himself, his eyes staring down at his quilt.

He missed her, in some form.

Oh well…

\--

Selthris frowned hard as he brought his silver tabard around his body, quickly pulling it around his arms and his torso. With hardened eyes set downward, he affixed it, his thoughts wandering once more.

His eyes shut slowly in shame as he recalled his earlier anger at the large warrior.

Why had he suddenly directed that anger at him of all people?

Could have been many things he supposed but…

His mind always, always drifted back to the masked man; his father's killer. Gorlin's words and the way he acted… he must have known somehow.

Maybe he'd seen it before?

"Uh, excuse me?" A voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts; the young Lord gasped and snapped his eyes over to the tent's exit.

Who was…?

"You in there kid?"

A deep masculine voice; one he recognised.

Speak of the devil, he thought with a small grin.

"Y-Yes," Selthris chuckled lightly, nodding. "You can come in Sir Gorlin."

Just as before, the tent's walls opened to reveal the hard-frowning man himself; his former opponent. Still wearing the same clothing he did before in their previous combat, he looked every bit the proverbial warrior. Instead of his previous grins however, Gorlin put on a concerned frown.

"How you holdin' up?" He requested curiously, raising an eyebrow. "Feelin' any better?"

"Yes," Selthris chuckled good naturedly, shooting the man a light smile. "Much better actually."

Gorlin nodded wordlessly in response, looking the boy up and down and spying his earlier wounds. "Listen I'm… sorry about earlier," he opened with as he turned his head away from the boy, rubbing his head nervously. "I didn't mean for you to dredge all that shit up."

"N-No it's fine," Selthris laughed nervously, raising his hand forward as if to rebuke the man's words softly. "I should be the one to apologise actually," the young Lord replied, losing his smile in favour of a saddened frown. Gorlin raised a curious eyebrow as he turned to face the boy, folding his arms. "It was wrong of me to focus my anger on you; you had- you have nothing to do with this after all," the boy corrected himself as he lowered his head apologetically. "I'm sorry." He apologised lightly, shutting his eyes as he did so.

Gorlin shook his head, a small smile adorned presumably amused. "Don't worry about it," he chuckled. "I'm just glad I could knock ya out of it."

Selthris chuckled wordlessly in response as he re-raised his head back up to face the man.

"I meant what I said by the way," the large Coremondian warrior grinned onwards. "That was some fancy fencin' earlier; incredible speed too considering how young you are."

Selthris took the compliment with a light smile as he did before, nodding wordlessly.

"You're not thinkin' of leavin' already are ya?" The man asked curiously, replacing his proud grin with a concerned frown and a re-raise of his eyebrow. "You took quite a beatin' out there after all."

"Oh I'll be fine," Selthris chuckled with his own grin as he affixed the rest of his clothing, looking for his sword and its sheath. "You got me good for certain but… I been through worse," the boy began, an initially cheerful smile on his face. His tone quickly switched to another saddened one to suit the frown that morphed back on his face, his thoughts returning on his encounter with the man in the mask. "I'll be fine, I promise." The Lord finished, forcing a smile back on his face as he re-faced the doubtful warrior.

"Well, if you're that sure…," Gorlin sighed in response, shaking his head as if in disapproval; Selthris' curiosity was piqued once more and he blinked, turning again to face the larger man. He rose his huge hand and grinned. "Greetings Lord; I'm your new muscle." He smirked knowingly, eliciting a shocked blink from the boy.

"W-Wha-?"

"Don't you remember what the boss said?" He asked with an amused grin and a raised eyebrow. Selthris' eyes widened in remembrance. "You're gettin' aid son!" He laughed knowingly, a grin on his face. "We've prepared some supplies, if that's all okay of course."

"N-No this is too much I can't-"

"Come on kid," Gorlin interrupted softly; with a grin he took the surprised boy's hand in his own and slapped his back in a friendly fashion before finally tilting his head at him. "It's the least we can do," he began before smirking knowingly. "For the only son of the continent's greatest warrior."

Selthris forced a smile in response as he lowered his head before re-raising it and nodding wordlessly. Gorlin chuckled and winked.

"Great; we'll see ya out here then huh?" He finished with a hard shake of the boy's hand and turned to leave, eliciting another wordless nod from the boy.

Selthris was left frowning after the man's words.

The 'greatest warrior' of the continent.

He knew his father was strong but… did he truly deserve such a reputation?

It reminded him of his earlier dream; his sister's words to him at some point in their lives together.

"The only person, aside from us, that is a true warrior is… our father. Sathryon Vikeruce."

He didn't know why… but those words had always filled him with a strange sense of dread.

2

Having explained the situation to the rest of his military force, Selthris and his force agree on their next course of action; to travel to the lands of Sohantha, the greatest sized region in the land of Dracolius.

"Frequently referred to as simply 'the Empire', Sohantha's history goes as far back as the very days of yore when dragons still walked among us," Leo explained further with a light grin adorned on his expression. The horse he rode on bobbed his raised-up index finger as he talked and chuckled. "It's a cool history topic."

"Certainly know yer stuff kid," Gorlin grinned next to him, atop his own horse. "How far back did you have to dig to uncover all that?"

Leo chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly. "Not very far," the Mercenary admitted. "It's all common knowledge, mostly anyway."

"Man I wish dragons still existed," Kay sighed wistfully atop her own horse, turning her own gaze skyward. "I'd love to go toe-to-toe with one 'em."

"Would ye fuck," Gorlin shot back with a snorting grin, eliciting the curious faced blonde to turn with an amused smirk of her own. "We have enough problems wi' humans as it is."

"Still!" The Social Knight insisted with her confident smirk. "Even just to watch one would be amazing."

"Sad to say we're at least a couple thousand years too late for that I'm afraid to say sister," George sighed lightly next to the older knight. His eyes were kept ever focused ahead. "The Continental Divide is a legend after all." He stated with a light smile as he briefly turned his amiable look with the small group.

"It's always been an interesting one," Gerard agreed with in the back as he smiled similarly. "I've always loved history."

"History's where it belongs," Sabine snorted next to the large Armour Knight. "Ain't my problem what those idiots did back in year one."

"I agree with Gerard," Edgar spoke up from the back of the small force, ever frowning dutifully. "History's always been important."

"Lest ye be to repeat it," Leo grinned from the front and winked at the ever frowning Axe Fighter. "Eh?" He chuckled. Edgar gave the Mercenary the smallest of smiles, eliciting a rolling eyed mutter from the listening Sabine.

"Are you all right, Lord Selthris?"

The young Lord gasped quietly before turning to face the ever frowning and concerned faced Ulric riding next to him. Selthris morphed his tired frown into a light smile and shook his head, attempting to pass the worries off.

"I'm… fine," the youth chuckled. "Just thinking too much."

"Just like your father," the veteran Paladin grinned lightly as he pulled himself back to give the boy some room. "It's frightening how alike you two are and yet how different the two of you are."

"I'm told that a lot," Selthris chuckled lightly as he turned his eyes back to the front; green plains. His eyebrows rose as he caught sight of the huge spire-like buildings finally coming into view however. "Is that it?" He asked, unsure. Ulric raised his brown eyebrow upward in his own curiosity before tracing the youth's stare. He squinted forward before nodding his head.

"Yes; those buildings are unmistakeable," the Paladin frowned; he turned to face the rest of the force and raised his voice. "Be prepared! We enter foreign ground soon!"

"Shit, that was fast," Sabine muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "I didn't think we'd get there so fast."

"Sohantha's never been far from the plains; it's smack dab in the middle of the continent," Edgar quickly responded with, his ever business-like frown adorned. "Not to mention it's the biggest piece of land around." He finished in a low murmur.

"All right!" Kay exclaimed excitedly, pumping a fist in her show of exuberance. "Can't wait!"

Selthris' silver eyes narrowed at the huge buildings, imposing as he had feared.

The Empire was finally within their reach.

Even when they approached the border and the huge gate that prevented their pass, Selthris' growing apprehension and fear began to take its toll on his nerves. His silver eyes darted between each of the murmuring yellow armoured soldiers.

They weren't going to let them in, he thought.

"Who goes there?" A voice dutifully called from above; the blinking youth turned his silvery haired head upwards to find the gate's seeming protector. A similarly dressed soldier of Sohantha; he wore the same dark-yellow colours his comrades seemed to wear and possessed a thick accent, suited for a foreigner.

"V-Visitors from Aselia!" Selthris replied as firmly and clearly as he could. "We have come to seek an audience with Sohantha's Emperor!"

The gaggle of soldiers all seemed to exchange quietened words, keeping the small group waiting for a few seconds before, finally, responding. "Very well! Lay your arms down with us and you may enter!"

That was it then.

The huge gate finally creaked open and they were given the inside view of the city of Sohantha. Selthris gulped down the load of saliva that had gathered in his throat as he approached the largest city in the history of the continent he lived in.

"All right, come on; hand 'em over," the first nameless Sohanthian soldier requested as he walked forward to approach the small force. "Don't wanna have to ask again."

Selthris turned and nodded toward the rest of his group, anxiously watching him as if for confirmation; they all dismounted their steeds gradually, one after the other and went for their weapons.

"That… won't be necessary."

Selthris blinked in confusion, turning his head back upward from the sheath on his hip. A young man stood not far from him, dressed starkly in comparison to his other comrades; he wore a pair of similarly coloured yellow robes, seemingly a business kind of clothing. He carried a book under his left arm and smiled over at the group; a generally plain looking man with a light moustache.

"Greetings, Lord Selthris I presume?" The man chanced as he bowed forward respectfully, eliciting a second surprised blink from the boy. "Your shock is understandable," he chuckled further as he raised himself back upwards. "We have been awaiting you."

"How…?" Selthris began suspiciously, narrowing his eyes lightly as he did so.

"Please, come with me, all of you," the unknown man smiled as he turned to leave toward the bustling city ahead. "Best not to keep the empress waiting."

Selthris exchanged a raised eyebrow with the listening Leo before shaking his head and walking forward to join the man in question, followed by his group.

\--

Even as they walked through the luxurious city of wonders, Selthris could barely move his concentration from the silent man leading them and the situation they were in.

How could they know so soon?

Furthermore why have such interest in a small kingdom like Aselia and Naerith's matters?

Sohantha was, after all, an empire.

Behind him in the small group he heard Sabine, Gerard and Kay discussing the city's wonders and locations, his eyes still set firmly on the man ahead of him.

If anything he should at least stay alert; one of his father's lessons.

"You sense somethin' off about this Sel?"

He turned to find the hard frowning Leo catching up with him, walking alongside. The young Lord nodded.

"Me too," the Mercenary admitted, turning his own eyes toward the man ahead of them. "Could just be pure nonsense but…"

"The empire are not to be taken lightly, Leo," Ulric interrupted with a light scolding, eyes narrowed. "They have eyes and ears everywhere; it's highly likely they're already aware of every single detail of this journey thus far."

"Everything?" Selthris questioned, turning with a hard-eyed frown. Ulric turned with his own serious frown and nodded.

"Yes, Lord," he replied. "It is Sohantha after all; they have proven to be untouchable in their war history."

"That totally fills us with confidence…" Leo muttered with a light sigh as he turned away from the conversation. Selthris couldn't help but smile lightly at his close friend's words before regaining his frown and turning to face the walking man once more.

Ulric was right, he thought.

Stay alert.

3

Selthris' eyes widened as he was led into the most lavish room he had seen yet; tapestries, silk and other expensive items littered the halls.

"You'll have to excuse the décor; we're going through a difficult period at the moment," the nameless Sohanthian guide smiled over his shoulder, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the boy. "I'm sorry about your companions but really we are very strict about how comes in the cathedral."

"It's… fine," Selthris simply replied with, shaking the matter off. "I'm honoured enough to be left with my weapons as it is."

The man smiled lightly and nodded wordlessly before continuing on. "What do you think of our fair city?" The man asked curiously as he turned with another amiable smile. "How does it compare to your fair Aselia?"

"I… wish I could say, sir," Selthris responded, lowering his eyes as he walked behind the man. He turned his head a little more 'round his shoulders as he walked ahead, curious at the boy's words. "My mind is on my kingdom's plight at the moment." He lied.

"Ah, of course," The moustached man smiled. "I do apologise."

Selthris shook the matter off impatiently; a shake of his head.

His mind, as always, was instead on the masked man of Naerith.

"Now… right this way, Lord Selthris," the guide smiled dutifully as he bowed ever as respectfully as he had done before. "The empress of our great nation awaits you."

"T-Thank you, um…"

"Yes?"

"I… didn't catch your name." Selthris chuckled good naturedly, eliciting a surprised raise of the man's eyebrows in response.

"Ah, a thousand apologies Lord Selthris!" The guide apologised once more in a second bow before smiling back at him. "I am merely but a humble aide of Empress Jenice Nohansen Sohantha; my name is Lenthrawl," the man spoke as clearly as he did his previous words. Selthris blinked in response and Lenthrawl let out another chuckle as if noticing his uncertainty. "I do apologise once more; our nation has a stranger take on culture and things you see."

"It's… fine," Selthris laughed lightly, shaking the matter off. "My father always told me I was lacking in etiquette anyway; if anyone's to apologise, it's me."

"My, how well mannered!" Lenthrawl grinned lightly, raising a surprised eyebrow upward in response. He used his free right hand to gesture toward the large double doors on his right and Selthris' left however. "Please; our empress is waiting."

"A-Ah of course." Selthris stammered out before attempting a bow in the same manner Lenthrawl did. Sadly, however it did not come out as intended. Lenthrawl chuckled, humourful and all.

"Something to work on," he began in reply before bowing once more. "I take my leave; I await good tidings!" The robed man smiled as he bowed off away, leaving the boy smiling lightly in response.

As Selthris turned to face the large double doors on his left however he gulped down another load of saliva in his throat.

Nervous yet again.

Even as he entered the huge throne room, Selthris' stark surprise nearly overtook him.

As far as lavish expense went, this one took the cake he thought.

Carpets, rugs, mats, tapestries, stained glass…

The list went on.

Never in a thousand years of Aselian history had house Vikeruce even come close to this level of lavish living.

"Who goes there?"

Selthris gasped out of his analysation, his head snapped 'round to his centre. Though the room was intensely dark he looked around anyway for the source of the voice.

He couldn't seem to locate it.

"U-Um-"

"Speak up!"

A woman's voice?

"S-Selthris Vikeruce!" The young Lord clumsily exclaimed in response. He cleared his throat in an attempt to steady himself. "M-My name is Selthris Vikeruce from the kingdom of Aselia."

"House Vikeruce you say?"

Almost as if triggered by the woman's echoing voice, the long chamber's torches all lit there-after, one after another. Selthris' eyes were quickly drawn to the centre of the room via the torches and he soon found himself in company. Not far from where he stood were three people – two bodyguards, male and wearing a luxurious variation of armour that the men outside were wearing and, presumably, the empress he was told so much about sitting in the throne room in the centre.

She seemed a tall woman, definitely older than he was. She wore the same lavish clothing as he had half-expected only even higher than he could have fathomed; the special kind of robes she wore must truly have been priceless.

Just as with all Sohanthian military however, it was coloured a bright yellow.

Perhaps the shade of yellow determined the rank of Sohanthian military?

Selthris quickly realised he was gaping and shook his silvery head embarrassedly, immediately bowing as he had witnessed Lenthrawl previous.

"P-Please forgive me your excellency," Selthris apologised quickly, a hard frown on his face, his eyes shut as he did so. He stayed down in a show of obedience in order to gain favour quickly. "I was just momentarily stricken is all."

"Hrm," he heard the woman's voice carry over to him, bounced from the walls to reach him. He didn't dare raise his head. "You may rise."

The young boy did as he was told and brought himself to his feet; finally, he was given a real look at her.

She sat in her throne, robed leg crossed over the other. Right hand resting on the arm-rest while she rested her heart-shaped chin in her left lazily. Her wavy long brown hair spilled over her robes as she leant her head to her left, lazily staring at the boy.

"Not quite as handsome as your father," the empress spoke suddenly, clicking her tongue disapprovingly at the youth. Selthris, unsure of how to take her words, merely blinked and tilted his head lightly at her. "Just teasing." She giggled lightly, grinning over at him.

"Ah-ha…" Selthris forced a chuckle, smiling at the woman warily.

"So, you are Lord Selthris, yes?" The woman questioned; Selthris' face creased as he attempted to locate the style of her tongue and accent.

Most definitely one he had not heard before.

"Y-Yes your excellency-"

"Excellency," the woman rolled her eyes in interruption, eliciting a quiet gasp from the boy. "Call me Jenice." She officially introduced herself, this time with another smile.

"U-Um, y-yes but still… even so your excel-"

"No fun." She interrupted again, pouting at the boy. Selthris stared at her like he would a mad-woman.

Who was this person?

Did she truly command the most feared nation in Dracolius?

He kept expecting to discover her a double for the real empress.

Selthris cleared his throat and knelt down forward, a frown hard on his expression. "I have come from the land of Aselia as you well know I'm sure your excellency."

"Oh yes?"

"Naerith has executed a daring gamble but a gamble they have indeed won."

"Indeed?" Jenice parroted with an amused seeming eyebrow, grinning as she did so. Selthris raised his head up to frown back, annoyed.

"Indeed," he simply repeated before continuing. "To make matters worse a Naerithian general has murdered my father; our fighting strength is one third of what it once was, even less so." The youth explained briefly.

"I see." The empress intoned out, seemingly surprised.

"As far as I am aware… Sohantha is currently neutral in this conflict… is that correct your excellency?"

Jenice put on another grin as she watched him quietly. "Hmm…?" She hummed, grinning as she did so. Selthris' anger grew as he listened.

Was she doing this on purpose?

She had to know, surely.

"Please, correct me if I'm wrong."

"No, you speak the truth Aselian swordsman."

Selthris sighed quietly to himself in light relief before continuing. "I will be frank," the youth began once more as he narrowed his eyes forward. "I have endured heartbreak and betrayal to successfully reach this grand cathedral in one piece your excellency," the youth continued, hard eyes set on the older woman. She raised an eyebrow, watching him carefully. "I need- no…," he sighed, shutting his eyes temporarily in frustration before quickly re-opening them again, his determination displayed in his firm frown forward. "Aselia needs your might your excellency."

"My, so humble." Jenice tittered, still an ever-amusing grin atop her expression. Selthris' hard frown twitched in growing anger as he listened to her toy with him.

"Please, your excellency, you must help us." The Lord finally requested, laying his head low and pressing his two fists upon the ground as he did so.

This was it.

She remained quiet for a few seconds but to Selthris, it felt like a lifetime. His hard frown twitched once more before he finally blurted out a last-ditch effort.

"I will do anything you wish for this one favour." He suddenly blurted out.

He could almost feel the woman's smirk upturn even higher as she listened. "Anything…?" She parroted.

"Anything." Selthris repeated for clarification, forcing his words through grit teeth. He hated himself for doing this, for appealing so lowly to a person like this.

But if she agreed…

… then revenge truly was within his reach…

Again, the woman remained eerily quiet and Selthris already began to regret his sudden actions. He waited as patiently as he could, but the wait alone worked at his nerves.

She finally opened her mouth to respond and gave him her answer…

4

"Hey baby!"

"Oh jeez," Leo muttered under his breath again for what felt like the umpteenth time as he narrowly avoided being pinched by one of the many shady looking women on the streets. "What is the deal with this city?" The Mercenary muttered again, annoyed as he glared 'round at the shady dealings.

"Like you're not enjoying it," Sabine snorted next to the youth with an amused grin, earning an annoyed huff from the listening young man. "Bet it's the only female attention you'd get aside from yer mom's." The Archer said cheekily, walking alongside the group, his arms resting behind his head carefreely.

"Please," Leo shot back in a snort of his own, a small smirk. "I don't dig on fake affection."

"Damn they're even givin' me looks," Kay mumbled alongside the group of men; sure enough they turned around to find the sleazy dressed women smoking cigarettes and shooting the blonde Social Knight glances. "I feel dirty just gettin' 'em." The blonde grinned, turning her amused grin on her sighing, rolling eyed younger brother.

"Don't encourage them Kay."

"Agreed," Ulric called from the front of the group, his armour clinking noisily as he walked down the sordid street. "If I recall correctly we were told our living quarters were down a few roads."

"Sohanthian empire at night huh…," Gerard mumbled to himself as he walked alongside his group. "I don't like this one bit."

"Could be worse," Kay offered in, ever the positive one. She tossed him a light grin and continued on. "I mean it's not like we're being rob-"

SLAM

The blonde woman widened her eyes as she was crashed into from behind; her sharp reflexes allowed her to turn quickly, ready for a fight…

… and was met with a child.

Her eyes sunk, half in disappointment and half in surprise.

A street urchin perhaps?

"S-Sorry!" She apologised before turning and running off forward.

"Don't worry about it!" The Social Knight called after the running little girl. Sabine visibly sighed behind her and shook his head.

"You just got robbed." He said, shaking his head. Kay's eyes widened, and she double took between the pair before quickly double checking her pockets.

Wallet's gone.

"Hey!" The angry young woman called, her temper flared immediately. "Get back here ya little shit!" She yelled forward angrily, giving chase. Ulric groaned, pinching the skin between his eyes as he shut them in a show of exasperation.

"Someone…?" He began, shaking his head as he did so.

"On it!" Leo exclaimed, darting off in pursuit.

Even as she 'rounded the corner to catch the speeding thief, the angry Kay nearly bumped into at least two or three people on her warring rampage, her eyes set directly on the running youth.

"You ain't gettin' rid of me motherfucker!" She called over angrily, hoping in vain it would dissuade the little girl from continuing her escape. She heard someone chasing her behind her but put it out of her mind for now; this was more important.

No one robs her.

She caught sight of the running girl leap over a wall and widened her eyes at the sight; she was evidently a very good climber.

Had to be to be to live in these streets she supposed.

With a grunt of effort, the dismounted blonde Social Knight leapt upward and grappled the wall before growling as she forced herself over, gasping with the effort.

How did she do that so easily?

The armoured woman grunted as she landed, her very armour cushioning her fall. She scrambled to get to her feet, barely catching sight of the young girl running around yet another corner in the back alley they were currently in.

Didn't look good.

She managed to hear the young girl knocked to her feet, presumably, as she pounded her feet across the cement, eyes widened in surprise.

Who would have-?

Even as she attempted to finish her quick-drawn thoughts, she 'rounded the corner finally and found the gasping and frowning Leo standing over the fallen little girl, unconscious. He raised his eyes up to face her and nodded upwards in greeting at her.

"Nice!" The blonde Social Knight grinned through her own gasps, catching her breath. "She got it on her?" The woman questioned as she knelt to inspect her body. Leo frowned down at them before turning to face the rest of the street outside the alleyway.

"This city…," he began lowly as he narrowed his eyes. "It's infested with this."

"You're tellin' me," Kay snorted as she looked through the girl's clothing for her wallet. "Gotta keep your eyes peeled the whole time."

"It's not their fault…," the Mercenary muttered as he continued to watch the poor Sohanthian people walk the streets not far from them. "I've seen this before."

"Hm?"

"In Aselia," he answered, his eyes still narrowed. "It's not quite as bad there but… here…," he continued, shaking his head. "These people don't have half a chance."

"Got it!" Kay exclaimed with a happy smile as she pulled the leather wallet out, quickly checking inside. "Huh? What do you mean?" The Social Knight asked with a blink as she stood back up.

"The people live off the state of their kingdom, generally anyway," Leo began as he turned back to face the young woman. "And with the empire as big as it is, you'd think that wouldn't be a problem."

"Well, yeah so why…?"

"It looks as if their leader is failing them," the wise young Mercenary frowned out as he turned his eyes back to the street. Kay blinked as she followed him, the pair walking toward the exit. "I don't know this empress very well; all I've heard are stories."

"Yeah?" The curious Kay questioned, raising a blonde eyebrow. "Give us one." She requested.

"According to rumours she's very impulsive," Leo replied, his business-like frown ever strong on his face. "People whisper that she has had men killed on mere suspicions."

"S-Suspicions?" Kay parroted, surprised. "W-What kind of…?"

"All kinds," the Mercenary answered with a shrugging frown as he turned his eyes to meet hers once more before turning back in a low sigh. "Business, pleasure… doesn't seem to matter to her," he explained briefly. "If empress Sohantha thinks you're screwing her out of something, you're a dead man."

"Fuck me," the Social Knight cursed in a murmur, shocked. "And Sel's meetin' with her tonight huh."

"Mm," Leo nodded, his eyes lowered lightly. "I'm worried about him."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Kay chuckled as they 'rounded a corner onto the street. "He's gotten into worse situations as it is anyway hasn't he."

"Yeah, I suppose so," Leo smiled lightly in response before turning his eyes forward and nodding upward. "Looks like them." He pointed out, nodding towards their ever-familiar small group of warriors standing around a building not far from them.

"Our little detour helped huh," Kay grinned before elbowing her companion in the ribs softly. "Come on, let's see how we're sleepin' tonight!"


	9. Finding the Frozen Fiefdom

Chapter 9: Finding the Frozen Fiefdom; Prevent the Civil War!  
Expedition in Etherthien Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Behind the Clouds" – Black Lagoon OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Sneak Attack" – Black Lagoon OST. Scene 2 (First Half).  
"Overdrive" – Dynasty Warriors V OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).

\--

With assistance from the Coremondian elder, lady Salnarra of the plains, Selthris and his military force have gained a new ally in his previous opponent in the Coremondian duel; the accomplished swordsman Gorlin! Salnarra hands their force some extra supplies as well to prepare for the long trek ahead to the empire of Sohantha and reach it they did. However, when they arrived, Selthris' audience did not go as well as he had hoped; he has been tasked with an unknown request from meeting Sohantha's strange empress, Jenice Sohantha. While a very strange woman, Selthris still opted to respect her for the sheer power she commanded.

For only with the power of Sohantha's military, could he exact revenge on the Masked Man.

Or so he had thought.

Selthris' small military legion now finds themselves back out in the plains and even further beyond; to the snowy and high mountains of Etherthien. With his eyes set firmly on the high mountains and kingdom of Etherthien, Selthris sternly marches forward…

\--

Scene 1

"And that is the situation, my lord, as it has all happened thus far," Selthris quickly finished his explanation as he knelt in front of the purple clothed man sitting in his throne ahead of him. Next to him were, of course, two armed guards, similarly clothed and coloured; the Etherthien colours. An older man sat ahead of the youth, frowning down at him carefully. His short chestnut hair was whitening, perhaps from age.

King Alaric of Etherthien.

"So, Sathryon has finally gone…," the king murmured, perhaps to himself as he lowered his eyes. "For him to be defeated in combat… who was this warrior you mentioned?"

Selthris' general frown quickly switched to a twitching scowl as he re-raised his silvery head to stare back at the older man. "We're not sure, yet," he admitted before continuing. "But he's highly skilled; wore Naerith colours. He seems to be a general."

"Hrm, could be…," Alaric murmured before raising his own eyes once more and raising his eyebrow upward. "Have any of you considered he may be part of Naerith's Renegade Saints?"

"Renegade… Saints?" Selthris parroted, blinking in confusion.

Alaric smiled in his seat as he joined his hands together. "A group of five warriors, regardless of age, that have been given the highest command of military force through proving themselves in their country's arena," he explained briefly before chuckling lightly. "It's general knowledge among the nobles and mere whispers among the commoners you see."

That'll be why he wasn't completely aware, he supposed.

"The Renegade Saints…," Selthris murmured as he lowered his silver eyes in thought, the masked man's picture coming back to him. "It's… I don't know," the youth began in reply, shutting his eyes and shaking his head as he did so. "I mean, it's possible but if it's true then…"

"Yes?"

"Then my father may have somehow been involved with Naerith, internally," the youth explained as he raised his head once more. Alaric's own eyebrow rose in curiosity, allowing him to continue. "When they fought… they talked to one another as if they knew each other; intimately."

"So, you think Sathryon may have trained these men and women?"

Selthris nodded.

Alaric sighed lowly through his nose as he lowered his own eyes in thought. "It is possible," the man quickly explained. "He has a sketchy past before he took ascension as Aselia's King; people have come to many conclusions about him, for obvious reasons."

"I just… I don't see why," Selthris replied, shaking his head as he lowered his head in his knelt position. "My father was hardly the-"

"Your father, Lord Selthris… was the greatest warrior in Dracolius, perhaps even the world," Alaric interrupted, a polite small smile on his lips as he looked down at the surprised boy. "With a reputation like his… even the best of us are borne to ugly appetites in others."

"I… I understand that but…"

"But, what?"

Selthris' eyes lowered once more, and he frowned before re-raising them. "My father… no one really knew him like I did and… and still…," he began, perhaps uncertainly as he narrowed his silver eyes. "Even I couldn't work him out." He finally answered, shaking his head.

"Were you an only child?"

Selthris blinked at the man. "W-Wha-?"

Alaric chuckled good heartedly and tilted his head at him. "Were you an only child?" He simply repeated.

"N-No…," Selthris answered, surprised by the king's sudden question. "I… have a sister or… I had one…"

"Where is she now, during all of this?"

"She um…," the boy lowered his head and narrowed his eyes before slowly shaking his head and shutting his eyes temporarily, perhaps in frustration. "I haven't seen her since before even the fall of Aselia."

"She isn't even involved?" Alaric questioned incredulously. "But… she is the princess is she not? Princess Staciel Vikeruce?"

"No, I… I mean, yes but…," Selthris explained briefly before groaning as he grasped his head, perhaps in some form to recollect. Alaric stared at the boy, surprised and unsure of what to make. "I'm sorry your highness, I… I can't tell you," he began again, re-raising his head in a sad frown. "I haven't seen my older sister in at least a month or two."

"I see…," Etherthien's king murmured, raising his finger to rest on his chin in thought. "So… it is you and your small Aselian military force alone," he surmised, raising his eyes and lowering his arm once more. "Well, besides the small aid you've received from Coremond," he finished in a chuckle. Selthris nodded wordlessly, a small smile of his own on his face. "Have you come into contact with Sohantha?"

Selthris nodded once before opening his mouth. "The empress was…," the boy began, narrowing his eyes away from the man, as if being careful in his next words. "S-Strange." He chuckled, eliciting a similar grin from the king.

"Yes, she has been for a long while now," Alaric chuckled. "I still have to remind myself she's the ruler of the most powerful military force on this continent," he began in a small grin. "So, they refused you military aid I imagine? That is what takes you and your companions so far out here yes?"

"Y-Yes your highness," he replied awkwardly. "Sohantha's empress has petitioned me to come to your door for military assistance, given my father's history."

"What am I to do…?" Alaric sighed lowly as he turned his head, presumably in thought. "With Sathryon gone he cannot even vouch for you," he explained briefly before turning his eyes back to the boy. "I see him in you at least," he chuckled, placing his hand in his chin lazily. "Sathryon and I were old friends; how could I ever turn down a request from his only son?" He finally answered, a light smile upon his lips. Selthris' silver eyes widened, and he gasped.

"A-Are you certain your highness?"

Alaric nodded, a small chuckle in his throat. "Of course; I would hope that with our Etherthien force, Naerith will at least be evenly matched."

"T-Thank you so much, your highness." Selthris stammered, lowering his head and going as far as to grovel at the man's throne. Alaric laughed and shook his head.

"Please, no need," he replied in his smile. "We just have need of your assistance first before we can even consider lending any aid."

"Yes?" Selthris asked, raising his head once more.

"All right… here is your first task…"

\--

"Sick of this…," Sabine muttered for the umpteenth time as he paced around the inn room, stopping every now and then to look out the window and spy the snow that rested on the windowsill. His arms folded, he glared forward out at the vast white. "Hate this place."

"We know Sabine," Leo sighed from one of the beds in the corner next to him, laying down. His legs were raised and crossed, and he chewed on what looked like grass, resting his head behind his conjoined hands. "We know." He repeated for the umpteenth time that their companion Sabine had.

"I hope Lord Selthris is doing well," George murmured from the bed on Leo's left, sitting on it with perfect posture. "After Sohantha I'm not sure he's been the same."

"Shit I'm sure he's fine," Kay chuckled from the same bed on the other side, laying down similarly to Leo. "He always is after all."

"Kay," Ulric called lightly from the other room, sitting at a simple table and chair. "Language."

"Yes sir." Kay simply chuckled back in apology.

"Kay's right," Edgar murmured from one of the walls, leaning on it, arms folded. "The kid ain't been himself since that meeting with the empress."

"Think she did somethin' to him?" Sabine offered with a cheeky grin as he turned from the window, an amused eyebrow risen upwards as he spoke.

"Oh yeah, totally," Leo snorted in sarcasm from his lying position, staring up at the ceiling. "I can hear the rumours now," he added, this time in a lightly amused grin of his own. "'Scandal in Sohantha'!" He exclaimed sarcastically.

"I mean, anything's possible right?" Kay grinned from the other bed, turning her head as she did so. "Ya never know! Maybe he swept her off her feet; he is a prince after all." The blonde Social Knight offered with a grin. Edgar rolled his eyes silently as he listened.

"If it was anyone but Sel, maybe," Leo chuckled, his legs still crossed. "That kid couldn't charm a damn tree."

"What if it's more?"

The group all turned to find it was George who spoke. Surprised at his words, they listened further.

"What if the empress asked him to do more?"

"What are you talking about?" Kay asked with a wondering blink, tilting her head at her younger brother.

"I think I follow what you're saying," Ulric interrupted softly as he treaded into the room lightly, his arms folded. "A challenge, just like with Lady Salnarra."

George nodded, a light smile adorned on his expression. "It fits doesn't it?"

"But why would they do this?" Sabine muttered, shrugging unsurely. "All this is doing is wasting our time, energy and manpower."

"Perhaps as some form of examination or a test," Ulric murmured thoughtfully as he rested his finger and thumb on his chin thoughtfully. "Think about it!" He exclaimed this time as he turned to face each curious member. "They all have one common factor; identify it and you'll get your answer."

"Um…," Kay began as she sat up, blinking downward before widening her eyes and snapping her head back up. "Ooh, they're all nobles!"

"Close but no dice." Leo shot back with a light knowing grin. Kay lost her previously enthused smile in favour of an annoyed frown.

"They're all idiots," Sabine muttered again, rolling his eyes as he turned again to stare out the window. He stopped and turned back however when he felt their stares and silence on him. "What?!" He shrugged, annoyedly.

"They all knew the previous lord I imagine." Edgar finally spoke up, frowning from his leaning position. Ulric smiled as he turned to face the Axe Fighter and nodded.

"Correct!" The veteran Paladin smiled. "Lord Sathryon Vikeruce has had relations with each and every one of these people."

"So, you think they're testing him…," George murmured from his sitting position, narrowing his eyes in thought. "It's certainly very possible…"

"It definitely makes sense," Leo agreed with as his right leg hung lazily from his left, bobbing up and down. "Mr. Sathryon was really strong and really respected after all."

"But just because of that?" Sabine spat out, shocked as he turned again to face the small group. "It's so stupid!" He exclaimed. Ulric's frown took an annoyed state to it before he re-opened his mouth to reply, however, Edgar got there before he did.

"May not be much of an answer but…," the Axe Fighter began in a low tone of voice before re-raising his head up and frowning as usual over at the Archer. "Letting madness rule the day is the prerogative of nobility," he began firmly though lightly as he frowned as ever. "These people aren't like you or me; they concoct this kind of thing, sometimes for pure amusement."

"You're tellin' me that we're doin' this because of these fucking nobles' games?" The Archer repeated, visibly appalled by his companion's words. The room remained silent, eliciting a tut from the youth; he turned to glare out the window.

Almost as if to break the awkward silence thrust upon the group, the door to the inn's room burst open loudly, forcing their attention toward it.

"Woo!" The owner of the voice that burst though exclaimed, a grin on his face.

Gorlin.

Behind him trailed the ever-hard faced Gerard and Selthris.

"Cold as balls out there," Gorlin murmured as he rubbed his meaty hands together, blowing into them. When he received an annoyed look from the listening George and Ulric he gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry." He chuckled.

"Lord Selthris!" Ulric greeted, standing to attention as he always did. Leo sat up from his previous position, eliciting the rest of the group to turn and face them. "How did the meeting go?"

"Um… not as well as I'd hoped," the youth smiled apologetically as he turned his head up to face his sub-ordinate. The group watched him silently, as if waiting for his next words. "He's agreed to give us military aid but…"

"But…?" Sabine interrupted, tilting his head and raising an annoyed eyebrow upwards as he did so. Selthris winced but carried on regardless.

"It seems there is a civil war in Etherthien, even as we speak," the Lord explained briefly, turning to face each member of his small force as he did so. "He's explained that he can't afford any military aid so long as this continues."

"So, we're gonna be moppin' up the mess huh," Leo sighed as he sat and stood up from the bed, putting on a grin as he ringed his arms around his body and his head 'round his neck. "I'm down with that!"

Selthris couldn't help but smile as he turned to face his close friend.

"I imagine it'll be fairly simple," Ulric frowned in a nod as he folded his arms. "What's our information?"

Selthris turned again to face the man before shaking his head and bringing up a map from the confines of his clothes. "We should… probably go through this." He chuckled nervously before taking a few steps forward and turning to enter the room the Paladin was previously in. He placed the map and flattened it down on the table, turning to smile lightly at the group behind them invitingly.

2

"I didn't expect this." Leo spoke, cutting through the silence. Selthris blinked as he turned to face his close friend, both in hiding under a small ridge.

"H-Huh?"

"Jumpin' out here; on a whim just to help him out?" The Mercenary grinned, eliciting a light smile from the younger male. "Well, I guess we gotta do what we gotta do huh."

"Yes…," Selthris agreed with a slow nod, turning his attention back to the blanketed snow white of the road and mountainous range their force sat on, all spread out. "If preventing a civil war is what grants us our military aid then that's what we'll do."

"Spoken like a true prodigy," Leo grinned from the side, bringing a light smile in response before the Mercenary's eyes darted back to the range. "There he is." He added, narrowing his eyes forward. Selthris turned his eyes back also and found what his companion was talking about.

Sure enough, not far from their current position, a group of armoured men wielding lances mostly accompanied a carriage ran by a single heavy dressed clothed man, clearly adorned for the kingdom's weather.

"So, the plan is," Leo began again, narrowing his eyes forward once more. "We ambush these guys, stop the flow of supplies and then get back the information," he explained briefly, turning to face his young leader with a light grin. "That right?"

Selthris nodded, a light grin on his own face before turning his eyes upward and around; dotted around each ridge surrounding the long road were his small military force. Ulric, Gerard, George, Kay, Edgar and even Sabine all hung around ridges similar to their own, two at a time. They all turned their own heads up, as if awaiting the signal.

"How would father do this…?"

With that single thought triggering his heart onward, Selthris' sighed lightly and shut his eyes temporarily before, finally, he snapped them back open and leapt up from the ridge. As if acting on the same instinct, the small Aselian force mobilised as similar and they all quickly lit the fuses seemingly prepared on the ridge's top. The carriage stopped moving, the horses both neighing loudly and worriedly but it was far too late; the ground ahead and behind their paths were both cut off expertly. The dark purple armoured wearing soldiers all shot out with exclamations of shock and concern, darting their eyes and heads around for their invisible combatants before Selthris finally aided them with a narrow-eyed shout and thrust of his finger.

"ATTACK!"

\--

"What the hell?!"

"What's going on?!"

"Quiet down! Get to arms, all of you!" The rider of the carriage exclaimed above the deafening shouts of his allies and his enemies. The road ahead of them and behind them was easily split away, seemingly by their current ambushers.

Could it be mines…?

Before he could think further on the subject, an arrow shot down from skyward, near missing his leg. He gasped and scrambled up to his feet, snapping his head upward to find a silently cursing young man glaring down at him, readying another arrow.

"I can't fight!" The carriage driver exclaimed before turning his sweat stricken head down to the standing and readying Etherthien soldiers. "Defend me! Your lord commands you!" He called before turning and scrambling clumsily into the carriage behind him. The handful of soldiers left behind all watched their enemies on the mountaintop skid down the mountain on foot, their weapons at the ready.

Leo grinned in contrast to his close friend's hard glare and frown as they skid down together, spitting up rocks, snow and dust as they did so. Finally, as they approached Selthris yanked his iron sword from its sheath and opened his mouth.

"Now!"

With that, Leo continued to grin wordlessly as he grabbed his friend by his free left hand. Utilising surprising strength, the Mercenary twirled the light youth around endlessly before quickly ending his toss with an effort filled grunt. The watching Etherthien soldiers' eyes widened as they watched the wildly whirling silvery blur approach them. They brought their shields up and barely managed to block the initial spinning slash Selthris offered, gasping from their defending stance as they did so. As Selthris landed on the other side of the mountainous ridge, he gave a second or two to charge his Aegir and it showed; his body glowed blue with it.

"Aegir Art!" He exclaimed forth before widening his eyes; electricity sparked on his blade and even on his body. He bounded his legs from the mountain and shot back toward the unsuspecting and surprised soldiers, the electricity from his Aegir sparking loudly. "Lightning Gyrate!" The youth yelled as he crashed into the yelling soldiers, sending them off their feet and even forcing a few to drop their shields and lances.

"Now!" Leo grinned over this time as he leapt from skidding down the mountain. Edgar from his own position nodded in his usual hard business-like frown before following his companion, his steel axe drawn.

"Aegir Art!" The two youths exclaimed together simultaneously as they approached each other slowly in the air; Leo glowing light green and Edgar a mahogany brown. "Cyclone Smash!"

With that the duo brought their iron sword and steel axe down together, their Aegir conjoined for a combined force attack. The soldiers, their defence opened up from Selthris' earlier strike widened their eyes upward and merely yelled as they watched.

DROOM

When the two collided together the ground shook terribly, leaving almost nothing unaffected in their wake; Leo's wind meshed with Edgar's earth and a razor whirlwind earthquake rent the air and ground simultaneously, eliciting pained yells and exclamations from the small group of unprepared Etherthien soldiers. Even as they finished their attack, there was seemingly no more need; if the remaining resistors weren't already knocked unconscious then they were surely deceased. Selthris turned from his earlier attacking position and gave his iron sword a light practice swipe, his silvery eyes scanning the battlefield.

A small group of Etherthien soldiers lay scattered around the battlefield, either unconscious or dead as previously surmised. The horses, though previously spooked, had been unintentionally forced in place thanks to the cart and by now had settled down as the rest of the small Aselian force joined them.

"Over here Lord Selthris!"

The youth blinked once and turned his head to find the ever-frowning George calling him over, led by the examining-expressed Ulric. The small growing group of warriors all gathered at the start of the cart and behind the horses. Selthris joined the grinning Leo and the simple frowning Edgar in his march toward them. Finally looking 'round he found George, Kay, Ulric, Gerard, Gorlin and Sabine all staring into the inside of the cart; the man so loudly proclaiming their demise earlier was currently now cowering in a corner, his eyes darting between each member of the group, like a cornered animal.

"Not so confident now huh?" Kay grinned in as she leaned on the cart forward, eliciting a chuckle from the listening and watching Sabine.

"Kay," Ulric chided lightly over his shoulder before turning to face the frowning Selthris. "What's our next course of action, lord?"

Selthris merely stared back at the frightened delivery driver, eyes narrowing forward before opening his mouth to speak. "Is this a normal delivery for you?"

"W-Wha?" The man gasped out, surprised.

"I'm asking if this is a typical delivery," Selthris repeated as he turned his head lightly. "Do you normally only take these many soldiers with you?"

"W-Well… y-yes…," the frightened driver murmured as he chanced himself out the corner. "We've never had to w-worry about resistance; the King has always been very lax in his border control."

"Yeah, well, those glory days are over," Kay grinned over shaking the cart lightly in her grin, eliciting a shocked squeak from the man. "Now we're on the case."

"I-If he found out…"

"If…?" Selthris asked, raising a silver eyebrow upward in his question. The man's eyes darted between each member of the small force, perhaps annoyed before re-opening his mouth and putting on a superior smirk.

"When our leader discovers this, you will all pay for this, dearly," the man chuckled, a contrast to his previous fear and concern. "He is the true king of Etherthien, not our weak willed, coward on the throne!" He hissed hatefully, eyes glaring at the small group as if they themselves were native. "No heart at all," he chuckled onwards as he watched their curious expressions. "'All-talk-Alaric'," the man grinned. "Pathetic." He finished in an angry spat.

"What do ya think boss?" Gorlin rumbled behind the group, arms folded as ever. His eyes flitted over to the cowering but grinning man. "I think we ought to shut his fat mouth up." The Coremondian warrior suggested, glaring back at the gasping, wide-eyed driver.

"No…," Selthris disagreed with, shaking his head lightly as he did so. The listening man in the corner gasped again but this time in seeming relief. "Killing him would solve nothing."

"So, what's our next COA then Sel?" Leo questioned quickly, raising an eyebrow.

"We take him back to King Alaric," Selthris offered, frowning forward at the man ahead of him. His eyes widened for the third time, this time seemingly in fear and growing concern. "I'd rather not intervene in another country's private matters if I can avoid it."

"No fun…" Kay murmured, clearly annoyed and disappointed.

"You're not serious?" George muttered, appalled in his turning to face his elder sister. She merely chuckled as she rested her arms behind her head as always.

"You know me too well." The Social Knight tittered jokingly, drawing a rolling eyed sigh from the younger Aselian knight.

"N-No, don't do that!" The driver called after the young lord. Selthris halted his retreat and raised a silver eyebrow over at the man. "P-Please he'll put me to death!"

Selthris' eyes narrowed at the man uncertainly. "It's… none of my bus-"

"B-But I'll die!" The driver wailed loudly. Gorlin, Sabine, Gerard and the others all cringed from the man's loud shrieks.

"Good gods he's going to bring down the mountains around us." Gerard muttered, covering his ears in his wince as he did so.

"I say we kill him," Sabine interrupted, his words hard and firm. The group turned to face him, surprised and shocked. His eyes narrowed as he spoke further. "We let him go and our position will suffer."

"There's no way we can be sure of that," Leo countered as he walked toward the Archer, raising a curious eyebrow. "What you so worried for? They hardly realise where we're from."

"Are you so sure of that?" Sabine shot back smarmily, tilting his head in his narrow-eyed look as he did so before turning to nod at the listening and watching Selthris. "They'll recognise him and draw us from his acquaintance at least; we'll all be in danger."

George sighed as he listened before opening his mouth to add to the conversation. "That's… just silly I mean-"

"I hate to say it, but I agree with Sabine," Edgar interrupted, though calmly. His arms folded as he frowned as ever forward; the group turned to listen to his ever-valuable opinion. "Give them even an inch and they'll take a mile."

"I don't get it; why even would they? What would they stand to gain?" Kay questioned unsurely, shrugging as she did so.

"Payback," Ulric answered in a low sigh. "This is a war, after all," he continued, directing his hard glare at the cowering unnamed driver. "I am loathing to say it, but I am also in agreement with sir Edgar." The Paladin claimed, turning his eyes down to the youth in charge.

"Maybe they're right," Leo murmured, folding his own arms as he turned to face the frightened man in the cart. "I know it's tough Sel, but I think they're right." He repeated, turning to face his close companion this time and frowning as he did so.

Selthris lowered his head and growled lowly to himself, perhaps frustrated. "Okay…," he finally answered, nodding and raising his head back up. "So, we can't keep him alive then… can we." The young Lord spoke thusly, staring sadly at the cowering and gasping man in the carriage.

"N-No, I p-promise I won't-"

"Shut up!" Sabine called over angrily, swiping at the air as if to emphasise his words. The cowering man flinched and lowered his body once more in the corner he dwelt in. "We decide what happens!"

"I don't know if…," Selthris began again as he winced lightly, lowering his silvery eyes in thought. He shook his head lightly but slowly as he continued. "I-I don't think that I can…"

"It's just one man," Leo whispered as he leant in next to his close friend, arm 'round his shoulder and head leant down to his level. "I know how you feel, trust me but…," the Mercenary began before turning to face the cowering, unnamed man. "There's nothing we can do."

"We can…," Selthris started once more; his eyes widened, and he snapped his head up, facing each member. "What if we take him prisoner?"

"I'm sorry, lord?" George questioned, raising a curious eyebrow upward as he did so.

"For information," the Lord pressed further, turning his eyes to each surprised party member. "He's the only one left anyway right? And he won't be hard to press for the information we need?"

"It's a fair point." Edgar agreed with, nodding objectively as he always did.

"Yes, agreed," Ulric nodded also, frowning. "A fine idea."

"Bad idea," Sabine disagreed with, folding his arms as he faced the group. "We leave this rat alive and he'll double cross us for sure." The Archer muttered, turning to glare at the whimpering man.

"Please, trust me," Selthris pleaded, turning to the remaining members. "I promise to you all he'll be worth more alive than dead."

"He did talk a bit about them so, yeah," Kay agreed lightly, placing an armoured hand on her hip as she tilted her head at him curiously. "I think it's a promising idea."

"If you so wish it, lord Selthris, we can only but follow," Ulric agreed with in his usual respectful bow, eliciting an uncomfortable sigh from the boy. "Well, those of us under Aselia's banner anyway."

"If you truly believe in what I say and not just because of where I'm from…," Selthris began as he stared hard and firm at the commander of the Aselian military. "Then I'll believe you."

While some of the members watched him curiously Leo chuckled and took the younger boy under his arm, a small smile on his face.

"Play the part Sel; they'll help you anyway okay?" The Mercenary requested, his tone of voice contrasting his disguising smile. Selthris, though initially curious and blinking down at his close friend, quickly realised his intentions and winced lightly.

He never realised it came through again.

"Sorry," the youth managed out in another light cringe as he re-raised his head to face the curious group before putting his frown back on. "We're taking him back," he continued, his eyes harder than before. "He'll have valuable information… I'm sure." The Lord bet, turning his head to face the gasping man in the corner of the carriage.


	10. Planning and Strategising

Chapter 10: Planning and Strategising  
Expedition in Etherthien Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Behind the Clouds" – Black Lagoon OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Waking Dream" – Last Window: The Secret of Cape West OST. Scene 1 (First Half).  
"Ghirahim Battle" – The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).  
"Sneak Attack" – Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail OST. Scene 3 (First Half).  
"Undersea Palace" – Chrono Trigger OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).

\--

Selthris and his military force of Aselia have finally made contact with the Etherthien military and its leader, King Alaric Etherthien. Seemingly undertaking a test given to him by Sohantha's daunting empress, Jenice Sohantha, Selthris attempts to travel to, and gain, Etherthien's shields first before even considering gaining any military aid from the empire. Thankfully, drawing on his father's previous association with Etherthien's king, Selthris has managed to convince the man to assist their endeavour with Naerith's invasion however, this it would appear, has consequences.

Before King Alaric can spare any military aid, he has requested aid himself for the civil war Etherthien is undergoing at the moment. Having been given a simple task by the king, Selthris and his small Aselian force easily dispatch the supply group on their way to their allies before taking back with them a member from the team, a non-combatant. While King Alaric praises his efforts, some members of the Aselian and Etherthien force alike are not impressed with Selthris' decision; some people are better off dead they surmise.

While he watches the Etherthien black operations force interrogate the civil war aid, Selthris is approached by Etherthien's very king for his next assignment…

\--

Scene 1

Selthris watched through the murky glass and room he stood in, arms lightly folded. His silver eyes faded into light concern as he watched the black op soldiers interrogate the yelling and visibly worried civil war aid they had captured earlier. Behind the glass he could hear no audio, no shouting, no orders…

Nothing.

He supposed it was there for a reason.

"Ah, I thought I'd find you here."

Selthris blinked, turning his head to find the ever well-dressed Etherthien king. He smiled as he approached, tracing the youth's stare.

"Ah, I see," he chuckled lightly, stepping across and standing next to him, hands held behind his person lightly. He put on a light frown as he watched. "I realise it's tough to sit here and watch this but…," the older man began as he turned to face the silvery haired Lord. "You have no obligation to this man."

"Oh, please don't misunderstand," Selthris lied in an attempt at a light and friendly chuckle. He lost his smile as his eyes returned to the three men behind the glass. "I just… want to be here. That's all." He finished in his light frown. King Alaric watched him carefully for what felt like a few minutes before finally turning his head back in a light sigh through his nose.

"You remind me so much of him," Alaric laughed lightly, regaining his old grin. Selthris gasped lightly and turned to face the man. "Sathryon, I mean," he added as he turned his eyes over to the youth before returning to the glass once more. "He was always like that," the man claimed, eliciting a curious raised eyebrow from the youth. "Taking accountability, overly concerned…," he began again before turning to face the surprised youth with a satisfied smirk. "You know. Things like that." He stated in a light chuckle before turning back once again.

"N-No I'm not-" The Lord began again in reply but the light smirk he received from the seemingly all-knowing king managed to make him stop and lower his eyes in defeat. "Y-Yeah I… I guess I am." He admitted, rubbing the back of his head as he did so.

"Believe me he's there because he wanted to be," the wise king claimed, folding his arms as he turned his eyes over briefly. "It is not your fault."

"I know…," the youth claimed, lowering his eyes before re-raising them. "Everyone… they… they wanted to silence him."

Alaric blinked lightly before turning. "Silence?"

Selthris merely nodded, turning to face him once more, a sombre expression on his face.

"Ah," the man acknowledged finally, his eyebrows raised as he did. "It's understandable to be honest," he sighed again as he tilted his head at the interrogation. "The constant threat of payback or such things as that." The man claimed as he stared at the carriage driver sadly behind the wall of glass.

"That's what I was warned about…," Selthris agreed with, nodding lightly as he also watched the interrogation. "I… I couldn't act," the youth managed out, shaking his head in a show of self-disappointment. One of Alaric's eyebrows rose upward in curiosity as he turned his head to face the youth once more. "I knew logically it was the best course of action and yet I…," he began again with a light wince. "I hesitated."

"Don't lose yourself in despair over it son," the older man smiled lightly, turning back. "You are still young after all; we all have issues with leadership."

"Is that what it was like for you?" Selthris questioned. Alaric tilted his head once and frowned thoughtfully.

"I've certainly had to make a lot of unpopular decisions in the past, yes," he answered. "People don't understand that just because you're a noble… it doesn't necessarily mean you lead an easy life," the man claimed, a hard look in his eye as he watched the interrogation. Selthris took a look at the man's countenance, finding years of experience laced through his words.

He only wished he had that kind of wisdom.

"My father, um…," the young Vikeruce heir began, lowering his eyes thoughtfully as he did. "He told me once that being a noble, it's… it's more responsibility than it is a luxurious lifestyle."

"Wise words," Alaric grinned lightly in his folded armed stance, eyes watching the boy for a second or two before turning back. "Life isn't all living in the clouds and being the centre of attention," he sighed wistfully as he watched the brutal interrogation of the crying eyed carriage driver. "I have both been adored and vilified by the very people I have sworn to serve and protect in my tenure as Etherthien's king," he explained briefly, eliciting a shocked, wide eyed stare from the surprised Selthris. "No matter what you do, you will always be burdened with the people's hatred my son." Alaric claimed in his final small speech, his eyes describing a wide field of wisdom and experience in them as he spoke. Selthris watched him silently, stood in a surprising shocked expression.

"How do you…?"

"You sit in a throne long enough and people will do anything to get you off it." The man chuckled lowly and humourlessly as he nodded his head in the interrogation room's direction. Selthris blinked and traced his stare to find what he was talking about.

The civil war.

Of course.

"Why would they…?" Selthris began unsurely, shaking his head however mid-speech as if to rid himself of his words in search of new ones. Finally re-opening his mouth, he re-phrased his words. "Is it… anger…?" The Lord carefully though curiously asked, scrunching his eyes up in thought as he shook his head and raised it to face the frowning king. Alaric sighed lightly through his nose as he lowered his eyes.

"This is more of a conversation that Sathryon would surely have had with you I'm sure but… seeing as he's not here…," Etherthien's king sighed lightly as he tilted his head and re-raised it face the boy. "Yes, in some form it is anger," he began in a positive nod and an ever-serious frown. Selthris raised a curious eyebrow upward. "The people become frustrated with their situations; they work at their problems endlessly and seem to find no way through them. While I try to help any way that I can…," the man started again before shaking his head and folding his arms. "There will always be bad endings."

"Bad… endings?" Selthris murmured in a narrow-eyed parrot of the man's words.

"Yes…," Alaric responded in a slow nod. "Despite all our best efforts, some people live and die on the streets of even the wealthiest nation." He explained, drawing a wide-eyed frown from the listening boy.

Suddenly Selthris' mind quickly went back to Sohantha and the streets he and his companions had once walked; he had recalled how dreadful things were for the commoners.

"You've been to Sohantha I presume?" Alaric questioned curiously, turning his head and raising his eyebrow as he spoke, seemingly reading his thoughts. Selthris simply nodded. "Things may look good on the surface in the empire… but I wager their empress has very little idea of how to deal with the issues underlying the higher class' lifestyles." He claimed sagely, narrowing his eyes forward, as if at the very empress herself.

"She… was strange…," Selthris answered for himself, lowering his head in remembrance.

Alaric raised a curious eyebrow upward. "You met her in person?"

"Um… yes…," the young Lord began again in response. "She seemed… so detached from her responsibilities and from her role."

"There are many nobles like that," the king sighed gloomily. "I have never received the honour of meeting empress Sohantha, but I am told she is how you describe," he continued, eyes narrowing forward once more. "She flaunts her vast military strength and treats her royal court as if it were a very game in and of itself," he explained briefly before shaking his head. "We are all very concerned."

"W-Why?" Selthris questioned. "It is Sohantha's matters is it not?"

Alaric turned his head to face the boy but raised his eyebrow as he spoke knowingly. "If a country as huge as the empire makes a move against Dracolius then peace may know no hope," he explained quickly and gravely, eliciting a wide-eyed frown from the boy. "Besides their insane reserves of military strength, their troops are specially trained to combat other countries."

"R-Really?"

Alaric nodded. "Yes," he began again before continuing. "They are well versed in how a lot of our countries fight given all of our war histories, especially Aselia and Naerith," he warned, nodding at the boy. "But there's no need to worry about the empire," he added with a light chuckle and smile. He lost his smile as quickly as he gained it however. "At least not yet anyway."

If this was king Alaric's way of making him feel better… it wasn't very effective, he thought with a small grin.

"With this issue in Etherthien's civil war I fear we may never get to worry about other matters," King Alaric claimed, frowning forward this time as he spoke. "With luck we'll have most of this dealt with."

"Do you have any clue who might be leading this revolt?" Selthris questioned, turning his own silvery head with a hard-eyed frown of his own. Alaric turned to face the youth in response, his arms folded.

"I'm not certain to be honest," the snowy nation's king admitted uncertainly, frowning back at the young Lord as he did so. "There are many who have been unhappy with my policies lately; it could be anyone I suppose." He sighed unsurely before looking back once more.

"Any information at all then?"

"Well…," he began again, frowning and re-turning his head. "I imagine there'll be a lot of peasants fighting under their leader; I've been told they rank in the thousands," he explained briefly, eliciting a wide-eyed gasp from the listening Selthris. Alaric chuckled in a light smile and shook his head at him however, as if to dispel his worries. "They are peasants however, you must remember," he pointed out before continuing. "They know little of war, fighting and discipline."

"That's… that's true…" Selthris claimed, lowering his head in thought.

"Though you are right to worry," Alaric nodded in agreement as he turned his head around. "One would be wise never to underestimate their opponent," he continued before putting on a light grin and eyeing the boy with a humourful look. "You truly are Sathryon's son." He complimented once again, drawing a light wince and obligatory smile from the boy. Before the man could press him anymore however, the door opened once more to their mutual surprise, revealing the two black dressed and hard muscled men from the interrogation room. Selthris took a quick look in and found the carriage driver they had previously taken prisoner sitting tied to his chair, bruised and crying.

He felt a tinge of regret.

"Any progress?" The King questioned quickly, raising a curious eyebrow.

The man on the right folded his beefy arms and raised his scarred face upwards, a hard frown on his face. "Sang like a bird yer highness," he claimed in a hard tone of voice, drawing a low knowing chuckle from his companion on his right. "They been runnin' supplies through that route fer a while now."

"Yeah," his nameless companion grinned in a low chuckle as he continued where his friend left off. "Ye were right sir; they got a lot of soldiers."

"As much as I feared," Alaric sighed lightly, folding his own arms as he lowered his head. He shook it, perhaps annoyed at his fears being realised before re-raising his head and frowning at the two. "Anything more?"

"Looks as if the one leadin' 'em's a former noble yer highness," the man on the right spoke up with a hard growl and frown. "'Gall' somethin'."

"Noble… Gall…," Alaric murmured, perhaps unsure before he snapped his finger in some attempt to recollect. "I'm sure I know who…"

"We can go back in if ye like sir." The man on the right spoke up as he nodded his head in the direction of the room.

"Of course!" Alaric suddenly exclaimed, shooting his head up with a shocked gasp. Selthris raised a silver eyebrow upward as he listened intently and silently. "Gallarus! Former land owner of Cinnario! I should have known." The man spoke, narrowing his eyes forward as he bit on his thumb's nail, seemingly a force of habit. "Ah! Anything else?" He questioned his men. The two merely shook their heads and Alaric finally nodded, waving them off. "Thank you both; dismissed." He smiled lightly, giving them leave.

"Who…?" Selthris questioned, leaving the rest of his obvious words in the air as he shook his head unsurely at the narrow-eyed king. Alaric turned his eyes over and nodded, continuing.

"The man I'm talking about was a former noble; Gallarus Cinnario," he spoke, folding his arms as he did so and turning to face the youth. "For years he's made his position clear against whatever policies I have introduced; it… hasn't been easy." The man admitted morosely, lowering his eyes as he did.

"W-What do you mean; were they a detriment or…?"

"Yes…," Alaric admitted again, wincing lightly. "The policies I introduced were more focused towards assisting the populace of Etherthien; the locals, the commoners," the king explained briefly before continuing. "Unfortunately, however, the nobles suffered because of this," he cringed as he spoke, his tone evident with remorse. "I didn't exactly push them onto the streets myself but…"

"But that's… that's not your fault," Selthris attempted to dissuade the man's words, wincing similarly. Alaric, confused and surprised, raised his eyes to face his. "I mean…," the Lord sighed lowly in light frustration as he narrowed his eyes, thinking hard. "You were looking for your peoples' greater good, right?" The young prince tried desperately, drawing a light smile from the older, wiser man.

"You're still very young and naïve I see," Alaric chuckled, eliciting an unsure blink of the boy's eyes in response. "The problem with royalty son is…," the king sighed lowly before putting back on his light grin. "Most of us can't understand the line between being black and white and finding a grey line."

Selthris merely stared at the man, clearly confused. Alaric let out a bursting laugh, seemingly amused.

"I'm sorry," Etherthien's king apologised, a jollier tone to his voice in his chortling. "I had to do it," he continued, wiping away a tear of hilarity. Selthris sighed in light frustration though kept a small smile of his own on his face. "Now!" The man smiled this time, clapping his hands together lightly as he did so, much to Selthris' relief. "Your next assignment…"

\--

King Alpheus Naerith grinned as he stood high above the challengers' circle, Naerith's 'Ring of Honour', watching his two top generals sparring together. Below sat a small select audience of Naerith's top public watching the duel also. They whooped and roared as they spectated the elevated level engagement. The Masked Man stood decked out in his usual Naerith colours while the glaring faced and well armoured General Cain stood on the other side. The seeming referee stood outside the ring, lingering next to a large bell.

"All right, you two ready?" The man called over, his voice amplified in the large chamber. General Cain glared at the similarly staring Masked Man and merely nodded alongside his opponent. Finally, the referee struck the gong on the side, echoing loudly across the large battle chamber, signifying the beginning of the duel.

General Cain ripped his silver lance out and rushed immediately at the glaring masked man. Cain's own glare matched his opponent's and then some however even as he leapt to go for a fairly direct style of attack, his body seemed to glow and even go transparent. The Masked Man didn't even reach for his sword, his hard eyes narrowing forward before suddenly darting to his right. General Cain suddenly reappeared at his opponent's left side, charging forward, silver lance drawn. He clashed hard with the lightning fast masked general, sparks emitting between their weapons.

"After-image," the masked general's deep voice began lowly before his dark eyes narrowed hard beneath his mask. "Child's play." He grunted angrily before pushing back the wide-eyed and gasping Cain, sending him staggering a step or two backward seemingly from pure strength. The Masked Man followed up his pursuit with a smooth slide forward, smashing the hilt of his unique sword into the General's lower chest. Cain let out a surprised and pained yelp, eyes widening as he did so; the unnamed masked general followed up his attack further by twisting his body around into an effective spin attack; the Masked Man channelled Lightning Style Aegir to his sword and even his body's form, giving him a formidable offence. Cain yelled angrily as he was sent across the field a few yards, rolling across the ground; he used his Aegir passively in an attempt to roll his body around and used his athleticism to side flip upward, successfully landing on one knee forward once more. He gasped as he did so, sweat stricken brow and all. The Masked Man merely glared back at him as he dissipated the lightning from earlier and spun around to a defensive position.

"That Aegir…," Cain began, speaking lowly at first as he scowled forward before raising himself upward to a standing position once more. "I've felt that Aegir before…," he explained briefly, his words so low they were almost a murmur. His eyes narrowed at the Masked Man ever suspiciously. "That lightning… so familiar…" He muttered.

"What are you whispering about over there?" The Masked Man called over, his deep voice echoing in the large chamber. The watching Naerith audience all whooped their encouragement and favour for the hard-expressed leader of the Naerithian knights. Cain's scowl twitched but, otherwise, was impassable to change. "Very well…," he began again, this time in a lower tone of voice; as he spoke those words however, the mysterious warrior bent back forward, narrowed his eyes and disappeared almost immediately. General Cain gasped, his eyes widened once more and darted his head around in search for the missing man, panic slowly growing. Just as he should have expected, he managed to hear his enemy's steel ringing behind his ears; Cain growled as he moved his silver lance to his back in an awkward but effective defensive formation. His defence was true, and he felt the Masked Man's blade strike noisily against his own and he grunted, shaking lightly in his spark emitting stance. "Huh… faster than I thought." The Masked Man spoke once more, rather cheekily. Cain couldn't see him but imagined a smirk across his lips as he spoke those words.

It made him angrier even than before.

With that anger driving him, he roared as he guided his Aegir around his body equally in an attempt to match his opponent's overwhelming strength; with it he spun around and successfully broke the wide-eyed masked warrior's hold and sent him staggering a step backward. Cain grinned, the advantage raising his morale; with that thought concentrating his rising adrenaline he leapt forward and ran his heavy lance in some effortlessly fast swipes and slashes. The Masked Man's eyes widened, and he was seemingly taken off guard; the attack seemed to go through and he was hit by three attacks before Cain finished his third attack with a spin and then, finally, a diagonal upward slash attack. The Masked Man was sent spiralling through the air and crashed to the ground, rolling across it roughly. The watching Naerithian audience all took shocked breaths in as they watched, barely able to believe what they just witnessed. Cain laughed, his ego stroked thoroughly from his earlier offence.

"Is that truly all the Renegade Saints' leader has to offer?" The General laughed haughtily, twirling his silver lance around expertly. "Pathetic!"

The audience all gave him rather loud boos and calls of derision, eliciting an annoyed frown from the General; he opted to say nothing in response however as he awaited the referee's call for his oncoming victory.

Yet it never came.

Cain gasped once again as he was bore witness to his seemingly defeated opponent slowly rise into the air through an art of levitation.

"What the-?!" He hissed in shock, eyes widening.

The Masked Man's body slowly turned as it rose into the air, finally facing him once more, arms folded and all. His dark eyes narrowed hard behind the mask he wore, and Cain gave vent to an angry scowl once more.

"I should have known…," Cain began lowly as he grinded his teeth in frustration. "Even your Aegir smells like a rat." The man insulted angrily.

"If you truly think to defeat me with such low-level techniques…," the Masked Man began, and Cain could almost feel the haughty smirk growing on his lips as he spoke. "Then you're undeserving of even your current post… general." He finished, his arms folded and his tone an insulting one. Cain growled angrily back at his opponent, drawing an excited yell of approval from the watching and listening audience.

"Impressive," King Alpheus Naerith stated as he stalked down the steps from his previous perch, seemingly opting to join the growing rabble in spectating the exhibition match. He stepped lightly around Naerith's Ring of Honour to join a small group of knights; a man and a woman both of contrasting age. "Greetings Renegades." Alpheus greeted in a low grin, turning his head to meet the two briefly before quickly returning his attention to the duel. The surprised pair of knights widened their eyes in similar surprise before bowing in respect, a single armoured arm resting on their chest in a show of their knightly loyalty.

"My lord." They both intoned similarly. Alpheus put on an annoyed frown and turned to face them once more, opting to raise his fingers at them; a message to raise themselves and they did in response.

"Why would you come all the way down here to spectate with us, my lord?" The woman questioned carefully, raising one of her brown eyebrows upward, seemingly surprised by his behaviour.

"I thought I would come down and see their duel myself," Naerith's king admitted in a light grin as he watched the said engagement. He turned to face the short haired general of his elite army. "You would do well to take from this, general Eliana."

The named woman put on a light smile as she took a few steps toward him, opting to stop next to his person before stopping and watching the duel with him. "Of course, your highness," she agreed, a genuine tone and smile to her face. "The Masked Man's prowess… is incredible." She admitted as she watched the duel, seemingly mesmerised.

"He is very strong," the armoured man, her companion, claimed as he joined the pair arms folded and all. His eyes narrowed forward as he watched them. "He fights like some kind of demon…," the man spoke shaking his head as his blonde eyebrows furrowed at the scene before him. "He definitely does not fight like a Naerith soldier."

"And how is that his problem?" Eliana shot back, her tone clearly angry almost as if she herself had been insulted. She turned her head back, still wearing an annoyed frown upon her expression. "He can hardly help how he fights after all."

"So quick to his defence," King Alpheus chortled as he listened, a smirk upon his features. Eliana winced lightly as he spoke. "No, I agree with general Raymond," Naerith's leader claimed as he turned his smirk back on the fight. "Staying suspicious is our job; we are at war after all."

"Yet he is our greatest asset my lord," Eliana quickly replied, though her speed similar to her previous reply to Raymond, her tone switched however to suit her new partner. "He has managed to push back the fight against those hated Aselians." She said excitedly, grinning as she spoke, watching the Masked Man leap around the arena.

"It is true," Alpheus agreed with as he folded his arms and grinned similarly. "Everything he possesses is strange and of unknown origin; very mysterious indeed." The man chuckled. Raymond watched the king talk like a hawk, scrutinising him with every second he listened.

"People wonder whether anyone can truly best him," Eliana continued, her words coated in honey and of dreamlike style as she joined her gloved hands, watching the fight. Raymond rolled his eyes as he listened. "U-Um b-besides you of course your highness!" The young woman stuttered out, shocked in her own words as she saw the amused smirk on her king's expression.

"Don't worry your pretty little head Eliana," King Alpheus chuckled lowly as he turned his eyes back forward. "I'd like to test those words out at some point."

"Do you even trust him, your highness?" Raymond spoke up, raising a curious blonde eyebrow upward as he did so.

Eliana snorted angrily in Raymond's direction. "What kind of question is that?"

Alpheus chortled knowingly. "A good one," Naerith's king joked with in a light smirk before turning his eyes to face his Dragon Knight general. "I've asked myself that very same question general Raymond," the man claimed. Raymond watched the king for a second or two before turning back. "Even if he were to stab us in the back it matters not," the king continued in a knowing grin and laugh. "No man escapes my watch."

Even as Naerith's king spoke, his two top generals slammed their weapons into each other, sparks emitting from one another once more. Cain glared at the similarly glowering eyed Masked Man from the other side of his offence.

"Why…," he began lowly, his words dripping with hate. "Why are you the Renegade's leader?!" He finished in a battle cry, directing his Aegir to his weapon; the Masked Man was forced backward in a somersaulting recovery. His feet smashed against the magical glass of the arena that they were given, cracking loudly and making a visible dent. Cain gave chase with a slam of his Aegir coated feet onto the ground, vaulting him upward and toward the recovering Naerithian officer. The General let out a low, guttural bellow from his throat as he spun his body around in an offensive spiral, his Aegir colouring his body in a fiery crimson. The Masked Man stood at his awkward angle, glaring back at his fast-approaching opponent before suddenly turning his own body around in a similar rapid circular spin, lightning instead at its core. The two finally clashed and the watching Naerith audience let out shocked gasps and worried murmurs as they watched, perhaps concerned they were outputting too much strength.

"The Lightning and Fire Rotation techniques!" Raymond exclaimed excitedly as he spectated the engagement, hands clenching into fists.

"Yes… there's only one clan in existence that still has Lightning Aegir affinity." King Alpheus agreed in a knowing chuckle, narrowing his eyes suspiciously forward. Eliana listened to him curiously with a suspicious raise of her own eyebrow before turning back to the fight.

General Cain let out an angry, effort filled scream as his Fire Rotation technique was simply beaten out by the Masked Man's own Lightning one, sending him backflipping to the ground once more; he looked up to find his opponent gone. Cain's eyes widened, and he gasped, his eyes immediately darting around for the missing warrior.

Calm down, he thought. The longer you stay out of sorts, the longer he'll have to beat you.

If anything, his anger for always answering to this newcomer to the Naerith military kept him focused on the task at hand. He shut his eyes temporarily and used his Aegir to feel out his opponent. Numerous members of the watching Naerith audience all murmured, perhaps unsure of what he was doing however, the few there of the military watched in similar silence, all knowing.

Eventually, after what felt like ages, the Masked Man finally reappeared, and Cain's eyes burst open; he leapt to his right side in an attempt to evade but barely managed to block the oncoming glaring eyed swordsman in mid-air. The Masked Man slammed his Hero Sword down upon Cain's silver lance; Cain grunted and groaned under the effort of blocking his opponent's surprising and shocking strength. The two got in similar glares though it became increasingly clear whom was under more strain as the battle went on.

"Rgh…," Cain began lowly and angrily, sweat dripping his brow as he glared upwards at the male above him. "I will not…," he continued lowly before letting loose another angry effort filled roar as he used his Aegir to break his opponent's hold. "Be struck down by you!" The General warned in a belligerent bellow; the Masked Man was sent spinning lightly back from the surprising defence he offered, leaving him to the ground once more. Cain pressed on his luck by charging forward, coating his silver lance in fire before leaping and slamming his weapon down upon the narrow-eyed masked assailant. The nameless warrior saw the easily telegraphed attack coming however and side-stepped to his left to avoid the vertical strike leaving an after-image of him on the ring's floor. Cain let out a long and delighted laugh as he watched his fiery lance devour the after-image, unaware of his previous evasion. Only when the rocks and floor spit up from his assault did he widen his eyes in realisation, gasping as he did so. "N-No!" He exclaimed, his defence left wide open.

Using his Hero Sword and coating it in Lightning Aegir, the Masked Man vaulted forward first striking the yelping general across the face, burning it quickly and electrocuting him. He was sent flying into the air with him; the Masked Man giving pursuit into the air. He used his next following attack to finish the engagement; the super-fast warrior bulleted forward with unseen speed, seemingly striking at the general's body with a defence piercing horizontal slash attack. General Cain let out a pained gurgle in his throat, blood climbing up to his throat as he dropped to his knees and, finally, fell to the ground. The watching audience grew silent as they watched the Masked Man swish his Hero Sword around, pointing the end at the growling and scowling faced fallen Cain, the pair glaring at one another.

"Scum…," Cain spoke lowly between the gurgles of blood and pain he endured. The Masked Man opted to remain silent as always it would seem as he simply glared back at the watching General. "Not one of us…" He muttered lowly and hatefully, his eyes watching the man like he would an insect.

The gong sounded once more to signify the end of the fight.

2

"Excellent!"

The pair turned their heads around to find the ever grinning faced Naerith king approaching, blessing the two with a show of well-earned applause.

"An excellent show," the man spoke once more before turning and nodding at the watching, nameless priest next to him. The priest nodded similarly before taking a few steps forward and raising his Mend stave upward, clearly directing it toward the fallen Cain. A green aura encased the bloodied general eliciting an annoyed grunt from him before, finally, he was seemingly healed. The Masked Man twirled his body around and stuck his Hero Sword back in its sheath before outstretching an arm for the fallen man. Cain glared back at him hatefully however and slapped the arm away before forcing himself up with an effort filled growl.

"Truly, I agree with his highness," Eliana spoke as she approached also, joining her hands together her eyes focused towards the ever hard-eyed Masked Man. He seemed to notice her hard stare and turned his glaring eyes over to mix with hers temporarily, awaiting her next words. "That swordsmanship was certainly something else." She spoke her words of praise with a low smile, perhaps hoping for a response. The Masked Man merely darted his eyes away from her, perhaps uninterested.

"Of course you'd say that…," Cain muttered as he dusted his ebony and crimson armour off. Eliana turned her eyes over to meet the hard-eyed General, narrowing them in scrutiny as she did so. "I've never seen any woman so enamoured with a walking stereotype." The man spoke in a growing low grin, his words clearly of a sarcastic nature. Alpheus couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and grin in response, drawing a similar smirk from the listening but silent Raymond.

"Oh be quiet," Eliana shot back indignantly, folding her arms at the older man and sub-commander of their unit. "You are merely angry that you lost." The young woman added, her tone quickly adapting to a tone of superiority and smirked alongside it. Cain glared back at the youth and opened his mouth to respond.

"Enough!" Alpheus interrupted loudly, turning his eyes between the annoyed pair. "Both of you," he continued lowly, frowning for the first time in a while. "I have seen far more mature behaviour from animals." The man chided, his tone an annoyed one. Cain almost immediately switched his tone and facial expression alongside his ally.

"Of course your highness, a thousand apologies." The loyal general apologised, bowing respectfully as he always did.

"Yes sire, I apologise; my behaviour was unkind also." Eliana added as she also bowed, putting on a dutiful frown.

"Good," Alpheus said, this time with his old smirk. "You are all part of the Naerith's Renegade Saints' holy knights." The King explained briefly in his ever-knowing smirk.

"How goes the campaign against out most hated enemy, my king?" Cain requested as he bent down on one knee as a show of loyalty and respect; Eliana, Raymond and even the Masked Man all followed suite, as if in response. Alpheus watched them all, a look of satisfaction etched across his expression.

"Aselia you mean?" He questioned briefly, chuckling lowly as he did so. "Yes, as well as we'd have hoped I suppose."

"You suppose?" Eliana asked curiously, raising an eyebrow upwards as she also rose her head up to face him.

Alpheus folded his arms and frowned down at the knights. "Well, while their main hindrance has been dealt with," the Naerithian king claimed in a knowing chuckle as he eyed the hard watching and silent Masked Man. "His son is absent at the moment; we are unable to locate him."

"Surely he can't have escaped the continent?" Cain gasped, his attention suddenly grabbed as he snapped his head upwards. Alpheus grinned, knowing of Cain's fascination with the clan of Aselian warriors.

"No; we'd have seen him trying at the very least," the man shot back in a light grin. "Last we saw hide nor hair of him was in Sohantha."

"So, he hopes to gain Sohantha's shields?" Eliana interrupted, raising a curious eyebrow as she did so. Alpheus tilted his head and grinned.

"It's always possible," he claimed before folding his armoured arms. "But I don't believe so."

"So then where…?" Cain pressed as he narrowed his eyes forward.

"Etherthien, perhaps?" Raymond dared to speak up as he listened, ever the black sheep of the group. The group all fell silent, as if to emphasise this however it was their king that broke the ice once more.

"Yes…," he chuckled knowingly, grinning once more as he turned to face the Dragon Knight on his right. "How is it that it had to be Sohantha's deserter to deduce this before my loyal knights?" The king teased with a grin in the other knights' directions. Cain and Eliana's eyes widened, and they exchanged worried, annoyed glances. Alpheus, satisfied with their reactions, chuckled once more however relaxed his mirth when he saw the ever-hard eyes of the Masked Man on him. "You're very quiet over there… Dark Angel." He accused, finishing his words with another smirk.

"'Dark Angel'?" Eliana parroted, blinking, tracing her king's stare.

"That's what they call him in Aselia's ranks," Cain muttered, annoyed as he eyed their unit's quiet leader. "They say his power is unholy." He explained briefly as he glared hatefully at the elusive warrior on his left.

"I have nothing of importance to add." The Masked Man finally spoke since his earlier confrontation, his hard eyes boring a hole through the similar eyed king's stare.

"Nothing of importance? You?" Naerith's king scoffed with a grin. "Aselia's despair incarnate? The warrior that felled Dracolius' greatest living soldier?" He continued on incessantly and theatrically before finally shrugging in a low chortle. The Masked Man merely stared back at him as coldly as he had done before. "You're such a bore."

"A lucky engagement," Cain undermined with a hard-edged glare of his own as he turned it hotly on the silent sword of Naerith. "That's all that was." He continued, his tone clearly an angry one as he narrowed his eyes at the silent but ever-listening Masked Man.

"Really?" Eliana spoke up for her reticent superior. "Raymond, please, refresh our memories for us," the Sniper began again, a contrasting business-like frown adorned on her face as opposed to the grin on Raymond's. Cain's scowl grew ever worse as he listened to the exchange. "Who was it that failed the initial campaign our highness assigned?" She questioned rhetorically, eliciting a mischievous grin both from the listening Naerithian king and the Dragon Knight Raymond. Cain's left eye twitched angrily. "Who was it that challenged Sathryon Vikeruce to a duel and-"

"Enough!" Cain vociferated, his angry passion showing when he forced himself up on his two feet. All eyes were now on him; he swiped his armoured hand to his right diagonally as if for effect as he spoke his next words. "I will not be undercut by a sub-ordinate!" The hot-blooded General exclaimed loudly, proudly and angrily. Even the watching and listening Eliana frowned up at him silently. "Especially by a child." He finished in a low toned growl, narrowing his eyes down at her as if he would an insect. A several number of awkward, silent seconds passed between the small group of five before, finally, Alpheus decided to break the ice once more by walking forward, his boots clicking loudly in the silent chamber.

"General Cain." He merely began, his voice as low as his own sub-ordinate's earlier. The hard-frowning General in question softened the earlier creases in his face appropriately as he raised his head and eyes up to face his king.

"My lord?" He began curiously however, he had very little time to react when the seemingly calm and restrained king drew his armoured hand across the shocked knight's face coarsely; hard enough to send the strong willed General tumbling to the ground. His crimson and ebony armour clinked and clunked boisterously, echoing across the halls of the duelling chamber. Though Cain gasped as he swerved his head around to face his hard-frowning tyrant-king, the watching and listening remaining Saints opted to stay silent, seemingly knowing. "M-My king, p-please-" He tried desperately, eyes widened in shock and bewilderment as he crawled away from the slow approaching warrior king. Alpheus merely glared down wordlessly at the man as he would a disease.

"This is no way…," the king finally spoke, his words like freezing air cutting through the humid day. "For my generals…," he continued before grunting once as he kicked the yelping across the chamber, his armour clunking noisily through the large room. "To behave." He finally growled his last words through gritted teeth, smacking the howling man's curled up body once more, sending him rolling across the ground. Suddenly realising the deathly silence that had fallen around the group of four warriors, Alpheus turned his head around slowly to face the group and frowned over at them disapprovingly. Their faces bore simple, unassuming frowns; he wasn't sure if they were either used to this or they were simply frozen stiff.

He resisted himself from grinning at them.

"Come now; you are all my Renegade Saints… are you not?" He claimed, this time opting to put a grin in his words. His eyes shot between each member of the silent and ever-watching soldiers, as if waiting for one to speak out of turn. "This is a celebration, after all," he dared to chuckle before bending down and picking up the large man with impressive strength. Cain grunted and placed his hands on Alpheus' own raised right, bleeding and visibly bruised just from his small attacks earlier clearly indicating his power. Cain stared down at his king fearfully, eyes widened and trembling. Alpheus smirked up at the previously irate General above before opening his mouth to speak once more. "I hope you'll take this seriously, general Cain," Naerith's king spoke in an initial grin before lowering the man slowly. Cain, unsure how to take this change in behaviour, simply stood trembling watching him carefully. "You are the Renegade Saints' sub-commander after all," he continued in his chilling smile and tone, nonchalantly dusting the man's clothes and armour off as if to clean him from his earlier attack. "T'would be a shame to lose you to your… shoddy demeanour." He finished, this time in another hard, frigid frown, eliciting a wide-eyed silent gulp from the listening and watching Cain. He nodded, still trembling.

"Y-Yes, your h-highness."

"That goes for all of you," Alpheus continued lightly, his tone brightened but his hard frown still adorned on his face as he turned to face the group once more. He narrowed his eyes lightly at each watching member. "You're all part of an important unit; do not embarrass me."

3

"This better be important…," Gallarus muttered, his words caked in an annoyed tone as he marched alongside the gargoyle faced man on his right, the armour he wore clunking noisily across the room's walls. "I'm a busy man."

"Please, do forgive me, my lord," the robe dressed man apologised in a low smirk as he walked alongside, bowing respectfully as he did so. "But your forces-"

"Our forces." Gallarus quickly corrected him, turning his head and narrowing his eyes at the strategist angrily.

Cadil nodded in agreement, though his grin remained as ever evident upon his face. "A-Ah yes, of course my lord," he said, his smile breaking through the cracks in his very expression itself. "Our forces are finding difficulty in dealing with a new menace."

Gallarus rolled his eyes in childish annoyance, sighing loudly as he did so. "I don't have time to be-"

"You will for this Gallarus," Cadil suddenly interrupted the man, causing him to stop moving entirely and turn around as he halted. He stared back at the contrasting solid expression on his companion's face and raised a curious eyebrow. "I guarantee it." Cadil continued, his voice lowering to a small whisper as he spoke. Perhaps initially intrigued by the man's boldness and sudden change to his behaviour, Gallarus narrowed his eyes lightly before shaking his eyes and turning to continue down the castle hall.

"As long as this is dealt with," Gallarus responded in a low mutter as he marched forward. "I'd rather this coup be finished as soon as possible; my family need food."

"Of course… my lord." Cadil simply replied with, his smirk returned. Finally, as they approached and entered the castle's briefing room they were met with numerous men, all donning similar war gear clearly decked out for battle.

"Finally…," one of the men muttered from the far end of the room, dressed in dark indigo armour; Etherthien colours. "We were wonderin' when you'd show face. Thought you'd taken off."

"Now why would I do that?" Gallarus shot back, etching a superior grin across his own expression as he watched the hard-frowning man ahead of him. "Etherthien is, after all, my home much as it is yours," the man replied, speaking as if he were rehearsing for a play. "Do not fear, my loyal citizens!" He continued, drawing a confident grin onto his face as he raised his arm to wave at the cheering folk in the previously quiet room. "Your true king has returned!"

"Could we possibly get to strategizing, your highness?" Cadil interrupted softly, his words cutting through the tension like a warm knife.

"Who's this?" The earlier man blurted out, raising a half-curious, half-annoyed eyebrow upwards as he examined the gargoyle-like robed man before him. Cadil noted his stares and grinned over in his direction before bowing respectfully. Gallarus frowned in disapproval but introduced him nonetheless.

"He is the reason we have come this far," Gallarus claimed as he folded his arms and narrowed his eyes in the Necromancer's direction. "He is our-my strategist." The Baron quickly corrected himself, narrowing his eyes threateningly at the earlier, nameless man. The soldier merely glared back in response.

"Greetings," Cadil introduced himself with a respectful bow, his etiquette as high as always. "My name is Cadil and I will be our battle planner."

"This guy know how to fight?" The soldier asked in his folded armed, raised eyebrow frown. Gallarus opened his mouth to respond but Cadil replied for him instead.

"No, I'm afraid I am a non-combatant my good sir," the robed strategist claimed in a slow nod. "I'm sorry, your name is…?"

The soldier huffed lightly but frowned as he responded. "Lachlan." He simply said, introducing himself with a hard, suspicious narrow of his eyes.

"Excellent," Cadil smiled, his features drawing an unnerving expression upon his face. "Now that we are all acquainted, why don't you start us off Gallarus?" He spoke suddenly, directing his arms toward the annoyed expressed Baron.

"Yes," Gallarus responded, narrowing his eyes at the grinning faced Cadil before walking forwards. "Very well," he muttered, directing his words towards the watching and waiting Cadil as he approached. He placed his beefy arms to rest upon the table before him and turned his eyes around his soldiers. "Now… what's the situation out there? Any progress with Alaric?"

"No," Lachlan responded, arms still folded as he pulled away from leaning on the wall, walking forwards to join them. He unfolded his arms as he approached and sighed lightly, placing an arm to rest on his hip as he did so. "He ain't listenin' to us."

"I hear he's brought in some foreign soldiers too," a woman spoke up as she stood around the table, arms also folded. "Couple men and one woman from some other country."

"Is that who hit the supply convoy?" Lachlan questioned as he turned his head to his left to face the woman, eyes narrowed.

"Yeah," the woman replied, nodding in agreement. "Well, I mean, we think so," she claimed as she shook her head lightly in thought before continuing. "We don't even know their names. We just know the supply convoy was hit by a small group of foreigners."

"Then let's find that out, shall we?" Gallarus shot back smarmily, a faux smile upon his face before bringing it back down in favour of a hard frown as before. "Cadil?"

"Yes, my lord," the named man stated, his words rolling off his tongue as a snake's would. He approached the table and put on another chilling grin as he always seemed to. "Aselians."

Lachlan blinked at him dumbfoundedly. "I-I'm sorry?"

Cadil simply nodded in his grin. "Aselians." He answered again, repeating his reply.

"I'm sorry, what are you saying?" The nameless woman sighed as she shook her head at him, annoyed.

"The supply convoy was hit by Aselians; those foreigners you're talking about?" Cadil finally answered, grinning as he did so. "Soldiers all wearing Aselian colours."

"But… so far from their country?" Lachlan questioned, unsure as he tilted his head. "Why?"

Gallarus put on a look of confusion of his own, instead turning to his advisor, raising a curious eyebrow.

"It would seem that Naerith's invasion has forced the Aselian royal family into hiding," the robed man explained, turning his grin on every member in the meeting. "Spies report their forces entering the walls of Sohantha and now, our land of Etherthien."

"Sohantha… the empire…," Gallarus murmured, lowering his eyes thoughtfully. "Do you think they were turned away?"

"Most likely," Cadil agreed, nodding his head as he turned to face the leader. "The empress is a shrewd one; she would not simply loan Aselia's brat troops for their friendship."

"I'm sorry, who's this 'brat'?" The woman questioned, narrowing her eyes at the man. Cadil turned to face her and smirked.

"General Rouka… is it?" Cadil asked, raising an eyebrow before regaining his grin. "Please forgive me, I was unsure," he apologised in a light, well meaning chuckle. "Do any of you at this table know the name…," he began again, raising an eyebrow. "Sathryon Vikeruce?" He finished with a knowing smirk to his words.

"Wasn't he Aselia's hero?" Rouka questioned, unsure as she turned her eyes around the room.

"Yeah…," Lachlan murmured, folding his arms briefly before placing them at his side and narrowing his eyes at the strategist before him. "Widely believed to be this continent's greatest warrior."

"No way," Rouka snorted before narrowing her eyes up at the man, shocked. "Seriously?"

He nodded his head as he turned to face her. "Oh yeah," he shot back, turning his eyes back to the group as a whole. "Apparently, he struck fear into the Naerith army all by himself on numerous occasions back in the golden age days, that is… until he was finally murdered."

"So… who's leading Aselia now?" Rouka asked curiously.

"That would be his only son," Cadil answered for the woman, a grin growing back on his lips. "Selthris Vikeruce."

"He had a son?" Gallarus asked, his anger clearly showing in his tone. "What are going to do if Sathryon's son is-"

"Calm down, Gallarus," Cadil interrupted, his own displeasure voiced and firm. His sudden change managed to sheath the cringing Gallarus as intended however, allowing him to continue. "Okay… good," he said, frowning as he turned on the other two members of the meeting. "Selthris Vikeruce is nothing but a pale imitation of his father; he has not the battle prowess nor the intelligence of the rest of his clan."

"Then how do you explain his assault on our supply convoy? Hm?!" Gallarus shot back, his impatience growing once more.

"His force got there because you let it Gallarus," Cadil countered, narrowing his eyes back at the Baron with a hard look. Gallarus blinked in surprise before turning his eyes away from the gargoyle-like man. "Now… as long as you three do as I advise… then you will all achieve your ends," he spoke, this time in a low grin. "Then king Alaric will fall," he promised with a grin, watching the frowns on the three members of the rebellion council. "I guarantee it."

"How can you be so certain?" Lachlan asked as he folded his arms once more, raising a curious eyebrow ever upward. "This is hardly an easily predictable situation, friend."

"I have seen it happen," Cadil hissed back as he glared back at the taller man. "The Wheel of Fate itself calls to me; Etherthien will fall."

"I can vouch for his abilities," Gallarus spoke in favour of the man, still frowning as he turned with his companion. "Everything has unfolded as he has told me."

Lachlan and Rouka both exchanged unsure shrugs before turning and nodding, seemingly in agreement with the two men.

"Excellent," Cadil chuckled lowly before turning to their leader. "Our next course of action is to organise our forces."

"What do you mean?" Lachlan interrupted, turning his curious look between the frowning Gallarus and his strategist. "What's gonna happen?"

"Well…," Cadil began again, grinning as always. "Alaric is no doubt interrogating your supply driver-"

"S-Shouldn't we rescue him?" Rouka interrupted, a concerned frown adorned on her features. Cadil lost his grin almost immediately as he was interrupted and turned a stony cold glare on the woman. "I'm serious!" She pleaded, turning her looks on the other soldiers.

"I don't like it either but…" Lachlan let hanging as he turned his eyes away from the woman, arms folded.

"That man is dead weight," Gallarus spat out venomously as he regarded the woman's comments quickly. "We simply do not have the manpower or resources to waste on his useless-"

"He wouldn't be in jail if it weren't for your choices!" Rouka shot back angrily, thrusting an accusatory finger at the wide-eyed Baron. He gasped in recoil and glared back at her.

"How dare you insinuate this is my fault," the nobleman muttered belligerently in response. "I'll have you know-"

"People!" Cadil interrupted with a sarcastic grin plastered over his cracked expression. The three soldiers turned their heads to meet his. "While you all bicker we lose precious time," the strategist claimed in a sarcastic chuckle, eliciting an annoyed grunt from the listening Gallarus. "Now… we know how they react to our previous… 'strategy' of a supply convoy," the man snorted at the idea, turning his eye on the annoyed faced Gallarus. "So… what if we do that again?"

"What are you even talking about, you senile old fool?" Gallarus insulted angrily, spitting his words with obvious venom. Cadil merely grinned back at him however and turned his eyes over to the inquisitive Rouka and Lachlan.

"What do you mean, what's different about this one?" Rouka questioned, narrowing her eyes at the old man.

"Glad you asked," he chuckled initially before continuing. "We plan a route into the mountains further up this time; this will pull the Aselian forces upward with us,"

"But how's that gonna help us?" Lachlan interrupted, raising a curious eyebrow as he did so. "Unless you're talking about…?"

"Yes…," Cadil chuckled back, nodding in his low and hunched position. "An ambush."

"Didn't I already suggest that?!" Gallarus shot back angrily as he turned to glare at the now frowning faced Cadil.

"No." He replied simply, eliciting an annoyed growl as he turned his eyes away from him once more.

"It's simple enough," Lachlan murmured before re-raising his head up to face the strategist's. "But how do we know they'll take the bait?"

"Because I know him," he began in a low smirk. "The son of Sathryon is weak, untested, unsure; he relies purely on instinct and previous success; he is not like his father."

"Being pragmatic has its advantages I suppose…" Rouka surmised aloud as she folded her arms and frowned at the ground in thought.

"And we're just certain he'll fall for this ruse?" Gallarus questioned angrily, turning his eyes on the Summoner next to him. Cadil turned back, this time in another frown.

"I am certain he will," Cadil merely answered, glaring back at the faltering nobleman. "And you will listen to me," the Summoner warned lowly. Gallarus put on another annoyed expression but dutifully turned his head away from his strategist, seemingly complying. Cadil put back on his grin and faced the rest of the soldiers. "So… are we agreed?"

"Sounds good to me," Lachlan nodded in his own folded armed frown. "Long as you can guarantee all this."

"I can," Cadil answered positively, nodding in his ever-eternal grin. "I have seen the future and he falls very soon in his adventure." The Summoner claimed in a low, knowing chortle.

"This is the guy that got us this far, right?" Rouka questioned as she turned her head over to the frowning and surprised Gallarus.

"Um… well yes…"

"Then I'll back that," the soldier spoke once more in a positive nod, agreeing with the man next to her. "Lachlan and I are on board."

"Excellent," Cadil chuckled before turning his grin on the listening and watching Gallarus. "And you, my lord?" He asked, tilting his head lightly as he did so.

Gallarus turned his annoyed frown onto his neutral expressed allies before rolling his eyes and simply nodding in response.

"Magnificent; then we are all agreed," Cadil claimed, his head moving from each of the council members. "We shall place an ambush force of roughly around fifty men dotted around the Wrulz mountains… is this acceptable?" He asked, eliciting nods from both Lachlan and Rouka. He turned to receive the hasty nod from the annoyed frowning faced Gallarus and grinned before taking the map he had placed on the table beforehand, rolling it up and placing it inside his robes. "Excellent," he grinned again before waving the two off and turning to leave. "You are dismissed."

\--

Even as they left together, Gallarus' hard frown never left him. He walked down the hall with the grinning faced Summoner.

"I resent you sometimes," Gallarus finally spoke up as they walked down the same road they had earlier, his face contorted into a childish-like scowl. Cadil raised an amused eyebrow upward as he listened. "You treat this Rebel Alliance like it would be your own army," he muttered again, eyes glaring forward before suddenly turning on the strategist. Cadil merely continued walking, a grin adorned on his face as he did. "Listen to me!" He roared down the hallway; Cadil finally stopped and Gallarus continued. "I am in command here!" The Baron exclaimed angrily. "If not for me then-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, the wide-eyed nobleman found himself lifted into the air through either magic or Aegir; he quickly surmised his companion did so and placed him up against the wall before finally turning around and advancing on him menacingly.

"If not for you, you say?" Cadil repeated, tilting his head as he approached him, putting on an amused grin. "If not for you, your family would not be slowly dying to hunger and poverty," he began again, his grin still plastered onto his cracked, gargoyle-like face. Gallarus' hands went up to his neck and he gasped continually, as if being strangled. "If not for you, then you simply would have no need for this little revolt of yours," he continued in an amused smirk before, suddenly, his amused look gave way to a more sinister one. "This Rebel Alliance is my own army," he claimed boldly, his dark eyes turning yellow mixing in the terrified stare with the lifted Gallarus'. "And you are all my little pawns," the robed man claimed before raising an eyebrow, this time in curiosity. "Are we understood?"

"C-C-Ca-Cadil…," Gallarus managed out in a strained gasp, struggling against the wall. "L-L-Let g-g-go-"

"If you want your family alive and as well as they were before this revolt…," Cadil began simply in reply, his frown still thick and unyielding as he glared up at the armoured man above him. "Then you will listen to me," he threatened, his voice held low as he raised an eyebrow upwards. "Am I sounding clear to you?"

Perhaps unable to speak in his harsh rasps, Gallarus simply nodded, wincing as he struggled in his hold.

Cadil put back on his earlier smirk and, like magic, the wide-eyed Gallarus let out another gasp as he was dropped to the ground roughly, his armour clunking loudly as he did so.

"Come now, lord Gallarus!" Cadil simply called out as he turned to leave, eliciting the fallen man to raise himself upwards slowly and carefully. "We have much to plan!"

Gallarus could only gulp down the remaining saliva that had gathered in his mouth before walking on after the strategist.


	11. Fated Encounter

Chapter 11: Fated Encounter; Battle at Wrulz Mountain  
Expedition in Etherthien Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Behind the Clouds" – Black Lagoon OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Sneak Attack" – Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail OST. Scene 1 (First Half).  
"Crisis in the North" – Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).  
"The Reluctant Heroes" – Attack on Titan OST. Scene 2 (First Half).  
"Anxious Hearts" – Final Fantasy VII OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).  
"The Black Knight" – Fire Emblem IX: Path of Radiance OST. Scene 3 (First Half).  
"Against the Black Knight" – Fire Emblem IX: Path of Radiance OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).

\--

Having interrogated the driver of the former supply convoy that Selthris' small Aselian force had earlier raided, King Alaric of Etherthien has passed down some new orders to the foreigners; with the knowledge of yet another supply convoy on its way to relieve the Rebel Alliance's forces, he requests his borrowed Aselian forces to once again halt the flow of sustenance and put further pressure on his enemy.

However, in an undisclosed location, the leader of the rebellion; Gallarus Cinnario meets with his comrades and soldiers in an attempt to put a lid on the rising pressure they are feeling from Etherthien's military. Cadil Agares, a mysterious man borne of strategy and knowledge, opts to simply run yet another supply convoy, knowing of King Alaric's intentions to halt their supply. He orders that Gallarus place an ambush force worthy enough to expel the small Aselian force, seemingly very knowledgeable on the royal Aselian family.

Meanwhile in Naerith, King Alpheus watches over his greatest military asset, the Renegade Saints in their practice – a challenging duel between its leader, the mysterious Masked Man and the previous loser of the earlier duel with Aselia's very own Sathryon Vikeruce – General Cain. King Alpheus asserts his authority over his soldiers and sends out orders to pursue the fleeing Vikeruce junior; Sathryon's only son, Selthris Vikeruce. He hands this mission down to the Masked Man in a strange test of loyalty, confusing everyone else around them.

With their orders however, Selthris and his Aselian force lie in wait in the high Wrulz mountains for their prey; the next supply convoy…

\--

Scene 1

"So cold…," Leo muttered as he shook from the breezy weather, snow dropping as he spoke. "Urgh I ain't used to this climate…" The Mercenary grudgingly admitted as he sneezed once shaking his head as if to relieve himself of the temperature.

"I don't like it anymore than you do…," Selthris admitted next to him as he hunched down, silver eyes prowling down at the snowy road below. "But this is exactly where we were told they'd be turning up."

"Are we sure we aren't being… setup?" Leo pointed out suspiciously. Ordinarily Selthris would simply have turned the notion away but turning to find the look on his close companion's face made him second guess his notion.

"What do you mean?" He questioned, raising a curious silver eyebrow upwards.

"Well, think about it," the intelligent young man began before turning his own eyes to the road below them. "The Rebel Alliance already know how we're going to react, given last time," he pointed out with a light tilt of his head and raise of both his eyebrows. "With that in mind they could easily have hidden forces here for an ambush or something else-"

"We simply have to take that chance," Selthris interrupted lightly as he narrowed his eyes down. Leo gasped and 'rounded his surprised frown on the younger boy. "Our country's future depends on it."

"I get that but…," Leo began in reply before finally shaking his head and replacing his smile on his face. "Hey, whatever happens, happens," the Mercenary admitted in his happy-go-lucky smile. Selthris, perhaps surprised, turned to face his close companion with a wide-eyed frown and received a grin from him in response. "Wherever you go I'll follow; just don't run us into a wall all right?" The youth grinned, drawing a surprised chuckle from the boy.

He always knew how to make him laugh.

Almost as if to interrupt the pair however, movement below their position made them turn their heads. On the road, as expected, were yet another horse and cart followed by a small group of four soldiers same as before.

"This can't be it…," Leo muttered aloud as he shook his head upon watching the scene before him. "It's just too easy."

"You think there are other forces out here?" Selthris asked, turning his eye on the unsure Mercenary. He shook his head again in response.

"Well… it's just like you say," he admitted. "Can't turn back now."

Selthris nodded gravely, turning his silver eyes back down to watch the slow approaching supply convoy.

Just as before, he thought.

\--

Even as they approached the Rebel Alliance's supply convoy, Selthris' growing foreboding feeling got even stronger; especially when he managed to surround his forces around the small, clumsy Etherthien military. Selthris exchanged worried looks with Leo as he approached the driver of the horse and cart, hoping perhaps to avoid any unnecessary bloodshed. As he took his second step however, black boot crunching against the snow, the Aegir in his body twitched and he gasped. Swivelling around, he quickly found other Etherthien soldiers, all presumably in hiding.

"What the hell?!" Sabine's shout came from the back. "They're everywhere!" He exclaimed concernedly.

"I was afraid of this…," Leo murmured, gritting his teeth together as he unsheathed his iron sword, swirling it around in his right hand. His eyes darted between the approaching and seemingly grinning faced soldiers. "Sel! Orders!" He called out loudly.

Sweat struck Selthris' sullen disposition and he narrowed his silver eyes. "K-Keep a tight formation!" He called back in response; Edgar, Kay, George, Ulric, Sabine, Gerard, Leo and Gorlin all joined him, edging their position closer. The supply convoy's soldiers merely glared back at them, grins on their faces as if knowing of the strategy being employed.

"We're fucked!" Sabine cursed under his breath, his teeth also grit in fear and frustration. "What are we gonna do?!"

"Shut up!" Kay admonished angrily as she twirled her iron sword around before gripping it with both hands. "We're not gonna die here!"

"Be quiet!" George hissed, his steel sword held tightly in both his hands. "We need to think of a strategy or something-"

"Maybe Sabine's right," Gerard gasped, shaking lightly as his eyes darted between each approaching soldier. His iron lance and shield shook terribly in his tenuous grip. "Maybe… maybe we'll…"

"Of course I'm right; look at where we are you idiot!" The Archer spat back in an angry hiss, snapping his head over to the Armour Knight's location. "I should've left back then…" The young man spoke quietly, his words whispered.

"What does that mean?" Kay asked almost rhetorically as she 'rounded her dirty-blonde head on the wide-eyed Archer. "You wanna turn tail and run on us?"

"Both of you; that's enough!" Ulric demanded loudly, 'rounding a hard look on the pair. "Things are bad enough as they are; don't exacerbate them!"

"We gotta do somethin' kid…," Gorlin murmured quietly as he held one of his long katana blades, his eyes watching the hungry approaching forces. "They ain't just here for sightseeing."

"I know…," Selthris muttered back before narrowing his eyes at the soldiers angrily. "I know!" He exclaimed this time before re-opening his eyes and gripping his iron sword with both hands.

"Above you!" Edgar's ringing call suddenly came from the side; Selthris instinctively snapped his head upwards to find a descending Axe Fighter, steel axe drawn.

Thanks to his companion's call however, Selthris managed to react in time with a swift step to his left; the Axe Fighter's weapon struck the icy ground beneath him and stuck him fast. Selthris used the opportunity to turn his iron sword backwards and step similarly backwards in a defensive stab attack. The Axe Fighter yelled in pain as the iron sword was pulled from his back, dropping to the snowy ground without another word; Selthris twirled his iron sword around once without breaking formation however, perhaps emboldened by their ally's earlier attack, the rest of the Etherthien rebel forces leapt to the offence in his stead, their war cries echoing across the mountain.

A lean Swordfighter stabbed at Gorlin's position clumsily; the large man easily evaded the attack by swerving his body before spinning around and counterattacking with a rotating slash. The attack found its mark and struck the long-haired assailant across the neck; he dropped to the ground with his ally, his sword clanging to the ground.

Sabine shot an arrow up at a leaping Warrior; the arrow struck a vital spot and left him limp and grunting once before dropping noisily to the ground. Sabine let loose a breath of relief however gasped once more when he clocked a fast approaching Soldier, steel lance drawn. Kay's iron sword caught his undefended side however and he grunted once before falling as she yanked the blade out, twirling it around once. Sabine exchanged his shocked look with the hard, annoyed glare from the blonde Social Knight.

Two Swordfighters rushed the narrow-eyed Leo simultaneously; one in the air and one below. He first narrowed his eyes before tossing his own iron sword upwards; it spun ostentatiously and struck the defenceless aerial Swordfighter in place. Leo leapt high in the air to catch his sword and spun multiple times with it before suddenly bringing his enemy down with him as he descended downwards. The second Swordfighter raised up his head and his sword in an attempt to block the plunging Mercenary, but it was too late; Leo crashed into his position hard and sent him howling across the snowy field.

"There's too many of 'em!" Leo called over his shoulder as he raised himself up and backed a few steps to keep the group's formation. "We're not gonna win like this!"

"Don't let them through!" Ulric called from the side as he plunged his steel lance into a leaping Brigand's chest. He roughly threw the man's body away from his weapon, the blood shining in the snow. "Do not break the formation!"

"Rgh!" Gerard grunted loudly as he blocked an approaching Halberdier's steel great-lance with his shield. The two struggled for another couple of moments before he finally managed to push the wide-eyed soldier off of his defence. Using the opportunity, he shot his iron lance forward and caught the gasping man's defence before yanking his weapon out and kicking his opponent's lifeless body away. "They're strong!" He warned, sweating beneath his heavy armour.

An arrow shot out, presumably from the mountainous regions, and struck the grunting Gorlin's right leg. He growled angrily from the pain. "Dammit!" He exclaimed, annoyed. An approaching knight atop a flying horse – a Pegasus – twirled around her iron lance and flew forward, shooting it downward. Gorlin managed to block the initial strike by raising his katana up diagonally and defensively however, the knight followed up her attack by horizontally slashing. Gorlin gasped as his defence was breached and though he managed to hold onto his weapon, he was simply opened up.

"No!" Selthris exclaimed, widened eyes. Using his Aegir, he blasted his feet against the snow and managed to leap high and diagonally to his right. The Pegasus Knight only caught him approaching at the end of her attack; Selthris spun his body around and slashed as he approached, catching the woman off guard. She yelped in pain as she was sent sailing off her Pegasus; Selthris landed with an effort filled gasp as he spun across the snowy ground. He turned his head around to view the results of his intervention and smiled when he spied the knowing smirk on Gorlin's face. He quickly lost his satisfied smile however when he caught Gorlin's sudden switch to a wide-eyed frown. He rose his finger up to point and shouted something at him; time seemed to slow down for the boy and he could barely hear what he was being told. Instead, he simply traced the man's intended direction and found a charging Swordfighter, her destination clearly fixed. Selthris' silver eyes widened, and his defence was open, unable to respond.

Shouldn't have broken the formation, he thought to himself.

Just as he attempted to raise his iron sword in defence anyway however, he was quickly surprised by yet another intervention.

2

Before the Swordfighter could finish her attack, a sword quickly flew into her gut, cleanly flying through her and landing in the snowy ground with an audible crunch. The young woman grunted aloud, eyes widening as she dropped to one of her knees. Selthris, though previously defenceless was left flabbergasted.

Who could've…?

His question however was quickly answered when a flipping figure descended suddenly from the sky; he effortlessly grabbed the katana-like blade as he landed. Selthris exchanged a look with the man and got a brief glimpse of him. He was definitely older than he was, perhaps an adult in his later years. He wore a robe, almost like an ancient Swordmaster's however his muscles clearly bulged from behind it. His white hair seemed to be shortened for a reason, perhaps for combat and, finally, he wore a dark eye-patch across his left eye. Selthris and the mysterious swordsman exchanged stares before, suddenly, the man's only visible eye darted to his right.

A Halberdier rushed at the warrior from his seemingly undefended right side; the Swordmaster twirled his katana around his left hand before turning his head to face the yelling man. In an instant, the super-fast Swordmaster disappeared from common view, reappearing behind the suddenly halting Halberdier. The lance wielding fighter dropped to one of his knees, coughing out blood from the now visible slash that the mysterious Swordmaster had delivered to his throat. The man relaxed his stance by twirling his katana 'round his left hand and stood up straight, turning his head and body around to face the dumbstruck Aselian force.

"Help him!" Selthris suddenly called aloud as he scrambled to his feet, intending to seize the opportunity the nameless Swordmaster had created for them. Perhaps listening to his words, their unknown ally seemed receptive; he turned his katana on another couple of approaching Swordfighters and Axe Fighters. Selthris grunted as he backed away as quickly as he could to reform the formation the Aselian force contained within themselves. Their morale increased greatly from the sudden assistance they received, and their blind sides handled by the mysterious invader, they turned their sights on simply defending.

"Who is that?" Gorlin grumbled out lowly as he used his dual katanas to block a running Axe Fighter's easily telegraphed overhead. He countered with a horizontal slash to open up the man's defence before finishing in a simple stab with his right arm. The katana stuck deep, and the Axe Fighter grunted in pain; Gorlin growled as he used one of his feet to push the ambushing soldier's body from his weapon, sending him sprawling to the ground. "I don't like it."

"Just focus on surviving!" Selthris called out loud enough for the rest of the small force to hear. A low scowl grew on his face as he suddenly blocked an approaching Swordfighter's desperate stab in a diagonal block; he grunted once as he spun his iron sword around to horizontally slash the man, sending him rolling and yelping across the snowy ground. "Don't give up!" The young Lord exclaimed out roughly as he turned his gaze around for the next approaching enemy. "We can do t-" He began however halted his words almost immediately when he double took in the horizontal gliding of his eyes. Not too high up on a mountain, presumably watching him and the rest of his defending force stood a figure; a figure he recognised almost instantly.

Naerith's Masked Man.

"What the…?" Selthris murmured out lowly and to himself, his silver eyes caught and stuck on the form he spied above him. He quickly convinced himself it was somehow a mirage or a hallucination.

But his eyes did not lie.

His father's killer stood on the small mountain, arms folded and watched him as much as he watched him.

Another scowl, this one a hateful one, grew on his face as he exchanged glares with the masked general. He was about to open his mouth when he received a rough jab in his ribs from the Coremondian swordsman on his right.

"Kid, wake up!"

His warning was too late however; a rushing Soldier wielding an iron lance managed to get through his wide-eyed defence with a grinning stab attack. His clumsy, though effective, attack was met with success and the lance stuck through his left side. Selthris gasped, blood catching in his throat and running down his injured side.

"No!" He managed to hear Leo's worried call from behind his position; he dropped to his knees and could barely hear the Soldier fall to an attack, presumably from the rushing nameless Swordmaster that assisted them earlier. He shakily rose his head up regardless to glare up at the folded armed Masked Man, quietly watching him in response. Finally, Selthris coughed out blood before dropping to his front, unconscious.

\--

"You're pathetic; you're no warrior!"

"You're far too soft to be one of us."

"It's time to end this charade…"

Selthris gasped as he forced his body upward, his eyes widened. Sweat dripped down from his forehead and the worried Lord brought his arms down to his side; feeling bandages and wincing from the ache it left, he sighed loudly before dropping down back to his pillow, eyes lidden and frowning.

Yet another nightmare.

His silver eyes shut as he groaned and brought his left hand to pinch the skin between his eyes in a clear show of frustration and exasperation.

Whose voice was that?

It was so familiar; he knew he recognised, yet every time he nearly pinned it down with a name it escaped his grasp.

"Was wonderin' when you'd be up."

The youth's eyes widened once more, and he raised his body up, turning his head and body to find the smiling Leo laying back in a chair next to the bed he lay on. The Mercenary's hands were joined together in his lap as he leant back in his smile, clearly having slept himself.

"L-Leo…," Selthris greeted, his surprise wearing off. He groaned once more, a headache pervading him as he scrunched his eyes shut. "How long have I been asleep?"

"I dunno, few hours maybe?" The jovial Mercenary replied back in his light smile. "You were pretty out of it."

"Y-Yeah I um…," the Lord mumbled, events coming back to him as he narrowed his eyes downward in thought. "I was… distracted."

"Must've been pretty damn important to get you nearly killed…," Leo replied, raising a curious eyebrow upward. He tilted his head as he waited before continuing. "What was it you saw?"

Selthris turned his eyes over to face his best friend and winced lightly, watching him a second or two as if afraid to speak.

"You can tell me," the older boy offered in his unusually serious frown. "I'll believe you."

Selthris' wandering eyes finally raised back up to face his companion before he finally continued. "It was… my father's killer."

Leo sat up in his chair, eyebrows raising in surprise. "Say what?"

"The man I told you about?" Selthris tried, raising his own silver eyebrow; Leo nodded, eliciting the boy to continue. "I saw him, perched up on a mountain."

Leo narrowed his eyes, as if to verify the story. "W-What was he doing…?"

"Just… just watching us," Selthris answered as he turned his own eyes downward. "I know how it sounds… but it wasn't a hallucination," he claimed, his eyes narrowing at the quilt covers in his hands. His eyes raised back up, fury in them. "It was definitely him."

"Just as well he didn't intervene then huh…," Leo murmured, lowering his own eyes in thought. Selthris put on a wan smile of his own in response. "Anyway, listen," he began again as he stood back up and walked toward the room's door, turning to face the younger boy. "I'll send in Ivan to see you; he's the one that carried you back."

"I-Ivan?" Selthris parroted, blinking unsurely.

"The guy that helped us earlier," Leo chuckled in his earlier smile, eliciting a wide-eyed surprised frown from the Lord. "I'll let him make his intro but he's gonna check on you anyway okay?"

Selthris smiled in a nod, leaving the Mercenary to exit the room wordlessly. The silver haired youth sighed through his nose in a growing worried frown.

Was it a hallucination?

Even Leo didn't seem convinced, he thought.

This was perhaps the only time he truly felt alone.

An idea began to niggle at his head, however before he could finish it, the door to his room opened once more and a robed man walked through, carrying a tray.

There he was, right enough Selthris thought; their force's previous saviour.

The man never spoke a word as he strode into the room, shutting the door behind him and walking over to him. He placed the tray down on a table conveniently located next to the boy's resting place. Selthris raised his eyes over to the tray and found a beverage and a plate of soup. He turned his surprised eyes over to the hard-frowning man, presumably Ivan, pulling a seat out with an audible screech across the floor. He sat down in it and folded his arms and crossed his legs together as he frowned over at the boy. Selthris smiled awkwardly back.

"S-So you must be sir Ivan?" Selthris began as he sat up in his awkward smile, outstretching his right hand to be shook in introduction. "I'm… Selthris." The boy finished with a low murmur; the eye-patch wearing swordsman merely stared back at him wordlessly. Selthris lowered his eyes uncomfortably and pulled back his arm gradually, unsure what to make of the man. "Y-You really helped us out back there," the young Lord claimed boldly as he re-raised his silver head in another awkward smile. "Thank you so much." The boy thanked once more however, it looked as though the silent man would merely continue his stony silence. Selthris began to give up and lowered his eyes with a pained wince.

"Are you truly the son of Sathryon Vikeruce?"

Selthris' eyes widened in shock and he swivelled his head 'round to face the warrior once more.

He almost couldn't believe words came out of the man's mouth.

"Y-Yes," Selthris finally answered in an uncomfortable chuckle and smile, nodding. "Y-You know my father?"

"I know of his reputation," Ivan finally answered him, his stance unchanging in his hard frown. He tilted his head this time however as he continued and narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Fighting is all he lived for; people still debate whether he was our continent's greatest warrior."

"So I keep hearing," Selthris chuckled uncomfortably once more as he lowered his head and eyes in melancholic thought. "I guess I've never really… enjoyed fighting."

"It was hard to believe," Ivan answered in a low tone, this time standing back up from his chair. The chair gave a squeak as he did so; with his arms folded he strode across the room as confidently as he had done before and walked towards the window, perhaps watching the snow outside. "You've got a lot of look-a-like traits but that's about it," the Swordmaster claimed as he turned his one good eye on the boy, eliciting a light wince from him in response. "I asked your military commander why you're out here."

"Y-You know we're Aselians?"

Ivan turned again in his ever-hard frown. "Hard not to spot the colours," he admitted, eliciting an uncomfortable chuckle from the boy. "You should be careful about putting your foot into other country's affairs."

"We have no choice," Selthris shot back, this time with confidence of his own. He gripped the quilt below him and narrowed his silver eyes up at the man. "Our country has been pillaged by Naerith; we need military assistance."

"Hrm," Ivan merely answered, turning his eye back on the window, perhaps thinking. "So Naerith are moving again after all these years…" He seemingly thought aloud, narrowing his one eye forward.

"You are-" Selthris began as he moved his legs to leave his bed however stopped almost immediately as his feet touched the ground, his old wound aching. Ivan snapped his head 'round, cat-like reflexes as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the boy. The stabbing pain finally subsided to a dull ache as he re-raised his head to face the older man. "Y-You are an accomplished swordsman, yes?"

Ivan opted to stay silent, staring at the boy for a second or two before turning his one good eye back on the window.

"I need… your help," Selthris continued bravely as he forced himself up on his feet, growling from the pain rearing its head once more. "I know you can help me; I saw you fight out there," the boy admitted as he attempted to walk towards the man. Ivan turned his half-lidden eye on the boy before striding toward him and pushed him lightly. Selthris gasped, perhaps unready for the light blow, falling to the bed on his back. "Agh!"

"You've got a good hand on your Aegir…," Ivan began as he loomed over the boy, folding his arms once more. "But that's about it," he continued, narrowing his eye down at the little Lord. "Why should I teach you?"

"T-There's a man…," Selthris began in response, sitting back up as quickly as he could huffing in exertion as he did so. "A general in the Naerith army; he turned his blade on my father." The Lord explained briefly, narrowing his silver eyes up at the older male. That seemed to get his attention; his one good eye widened in surprise.

"I had heard Sathryon Vikeruce was deceased but…," he answered in response, re-narrowing his eye. "What is it then, revenge?"

"I won't lie; there's no altruism in this," Selthris admitted, an old fire re-igniting his eyes as he spoke. "I need to do this; he left me without a father. I have to avenge him."

"Huh…," the Swordmaster murmured, tilting his head thoughtfully down at the boy. "Those aren't the words I expected to hear from you," he admitted, drawing a temporary light grin from the youth. "But the answer is no." He finished, folding his arms decisively as he did so.

Selthris cursed lowly under his breath and growled up at the man. "W-Why not?" He requested. "I know you can help-"

"I don't feel comfortable making decisions for a child," Ivan merely answered before turning, presumably to leave. Selthris' eyes widened and he gasped. He opened the door, presumably to the living room and turned once more to face the boy. "Get some rest." He merely requested before leaving, shutting the door behind him. Selthris' scowl grew worse as he listened and he growled in anger.

What am I going to do now, he thought.

"All you can do anymore." His mind answered for him. He turned his eyes on the beverage supplied to him and downed it before forcing himself up; he cringed in pain but dealt with it.

He had gone through worse.

He spied his equipment hanging on the wall to his right. He rolled his arms around, perhaps to bring feeling back to them, one at a time before he plucked his equipment from the wall.

It was a longshot… but perhaps the Masked Man was still out there.

If that man wouldn't help him then he'd do it himself.

Live or die.

Turning his eyes on the room door he instead snapped his eyes over to the window in his room.

Could it be opened?

He'd rather avoid involving anyone else, even Leo if he could.

Approaching the window he grunted as he pulled at the window roughly. Eventually it gave way and he grinned as he successfully opened it. Finding himself small enough to fit through the crevice he bent his body to crouch through it, wincing through the stabbing pain his old wound offered to him. Finally out in the howling wind and the raging snowstorm he narrowed his eyes around the area, searching madly for the Masked Man. He turned to give his room a final apologetic look before turning and leaving, eyes narrowed forward.

The door to his room opened however, unbeknownst to the boy.

"Yo, Sel," a voice behind the door intoned. The door opened to reveal the lightly smiling Leo, stepping in. "Just wanted to check in on-" The young Mercenary spoke before halting and raising his two eyebrows upward in surprise as he saw the room's contents. Selthris' tray of food lay uneaten and his equipment previously hung on the wall had been taken down. "What the…?" Leo muttered, narrowing his eyes; a snowflake flittered into the room, catching his attention. He snapped his head around and caught the open window to his right. His eyes widened and he gasped, quickly adding it all up. He turned his head around and watched the rest of his companions smiling and sharing stories by the fire in the living room. He clicked his tongue, annoyed before shutting the door quietly so no-one else would hear him. He walked towards the window and crouched through to pursue.

3

Even as he walked through the growing blizzard, Selthris' silver eyes narrowed forward and upward; just as before during the supply convoy exchange, Naerith's Masked Man stood on the same mountain he had done before.

It wasn't a hallucination then.

The two stood in the harsh blizzard, one high in the mountains, one lower simply glaring at one another for what felt like hours. Finally however, the Masked Man suddenly disappeared and Selthris' eyes widened, temporarily surprised by his sudden speed. Nevertheless his target quickly re-appeared at equal standing; the pair glared at one another. Selthris watched the figure through the harsh white blizzard.

He wore black robes laced with red outline, perhaps to suit to Naerith's military colour scheme. Underneath he wore a simple tabard, similar to Selthris' own clothing. He spied the short sword hanging on his side inside its scabbard before also noticing the longsword hiding on his back, the hilt barely visible. The mask he wore, of course, protected his face from any kind of view; a very simple ebony shaded mask with no particular design. His hard silver eyes glared back at the watching Lord; the Masked Man leant his body to the side in his low lidden glare before finally breaking the ice.

"Finally, the son of Sathryon," the man spoke, his voice a light tenor. Even through the rigid storm, Selthris' ears easily picked up his voice, perhaps listening hard for it. "I've been waiting for you." He claimed oddly, watching him quietly through his mask ominously.

"And I, you," Selthris finally responded, opening his mouth. His hard frown quickly devolved to a hateful scowl as he spoke, twitching in pure anger. He attempted to steady the fierce heartbeat that threatened to burst from his body; every fibre of his being screaming at him to charge the Naerithian general. "I've waited for this day."

"I imagine you have," the Masked Man merely responded with as he looked the boy up and down, presumably as if to analyse him. "Hmph…," he muttered under his breath disappointedly. Selthris raised an initially curious eyebrow and listened. "You cannot hope to match me as you are now."

Selthris' scowl quickly returned and in full fervour. "How would you know?" He accused before using his thumb to poke out the hilt of his iron sword hanging at his left hip. The Masked Man's eyes were immediately drawn down to the blade and narrowed at it. "I will show you...," Selthris began again before he pulled his sword from his hip with his right hand, twirling it around in practice as he glared forward. "Just how wrong you are!" The youth suddenly roared before shooting forward, using the Aegir in his feet to vault his form quickly. The Masked Man deftly pulled his short sword from his side and brought it up diagonally to block the boy's fairly direct strike. For a fleeting time, the two swordsmen glared at one another; the Masked Man resolute in his iron stance and Selthris levitating in mid-air, iron sword held with both hands in a downward stance.

"Sel!"

The boy gasped, his head snapping 'round to his right in the direction where the voice came from; the Masked Man used this opportunity to intensify the Aegir around his sword arm. Selthris gasped for the second time, his attention begrudgingly returned to the engagement however it was too late; the Masked Man expelled a force of his own Aegir, surprising the wide-eyed youth. Selthris yelled in sudden shock; the sheer strength of the Quintessence sent him sailing backward. The Lord used his own Quintessence to backflip in recovery however, skidding across the snowy ground as he landed. The teenager quickly checked himself for any wounds but much to his astonishment, he had suffered no injury. Just as he expected however the running Leo rushed toward their position from the cabin he had just come from, his own iron sword drawn. Selthris' bright eyes stretched in growing dread and he opened his mouth to address the older male.

"Leo!" He called over loudly, swiping at the white infested air angrily. "Leave me! That's an order!"

"No!" The Mercenary denied in his own show of anger, shaking his head in emphasis. "You're not gonna do this alone! Not again!"

Selthris grit his teeth and growled angrily as he swerved his head over to his opponent. The Masked Man glared over at the approached Leo, seemingly raising an eyebrow behind his disguise.

"The rats are gathering." He spoke aloud, seemingly giving voice to his thoughts.

"Hey! I'm your opponent now!" The young Mercenary warned brashly, raising his head up briefly as he spoke, as if to pull the Naerithian soldier's attention. "Come on!"

Selthris' eyes widened in abject horror as he watched. "Leo!" He screamed hopelessly before immediately taking off after the pair. Leo tossed his iron sword spinning into the air before leaping up after it; he caught it and spun with it as he descended. The Masked Man watched him hungrily, waiting eagerly. Finally Leo plummeted downward for a fairly easily telegraphed attack; just as before, the Masked Man easily blocked the attack, his short sword hung diagonally in defence. Leo's eyes widened in shock at the fortitude his new opponent offered, watching the wind pick up from the masked general's feet as if to emphasise the power difference between the pair. Finally allowed to counter, the Masked Man's bright silver eyes shone hungrily in the moonlight and even while his left hand was occupied, the hilt on the man's back ghosted up from its sheath.

"Woah, what the…?" Leo murmured in a strange blend of amazement, shock and eventually, terror. Seemingly using his Aegir alone, the Masked Man lifted his unique sword from his back; he raised his right hand to meet with the blade's hilt, a ravenous look in his glowering eyes. Thankfully however, Selthris' speed proved sufficient and the young swordsman leapt in between the pair; he managed to push the grunting Leo out of the way of the incoming overhead and positioned his body so he could defend diagonally as he passed in mid-air. As the Naerithian general's weapon collided with his own inferior blade, Selthris' body jarred horribly; he had managed to block the attack successfully and save his only companion's life but the sword itself was so much stronger than his own that it broke through it entirely; the mysterious sword caught the gasping Lord across his right cheek as he spun around from and passed the wide-eyed swordsman.

As the boy landed, rolling across the harsh white roughly he grunted in pain before spinning his body into a recovering flip, landing on one knee. Blood dripped from the graze he had suffered earlier; the youth's eyes were drawn down to the drips of crimson that stained the colourless vista of snow below him. He turned his head to his left to find the gasping Leo kneeling next to him; the Mercenary turned to meet his concerned gaze and grinned sheepishly.

"S-Sorry," the older soldier apologised. "Thought I'd come help."

"Dammit Leo…," Selthris growled under his breath and through grit teeth before snapping his hateful expression over on the watching Masked Man mere yards away from him. "This is my problem," the Lord chastised through his grit teeth, glaring at his hated enemy. "I will not have anyone else interfere."

"You mean you don't wanna risk losin' me huh," Leo chuckled in spite of the situation, a light grin across his features. "I'm touched but, Sel…"

The young Lord turned his surprised frown on the smirking Mercenary.

"We're best friends," he shot back simply in his knowing smirk. Selthris merely blinked back at the male. "There ain't nothin' you can keep me from."

Selthris attempted a light smile, perhaps unable to manage one before 'rounding his hard look on the silent Masked Man.

"You're also of the Aselian military aren't you," the nameless Masked Man questioned curiously as he turned his body on the pair before seemingly chuckling behind his guise. "Yes, I recognise you."

"Who are you?" Leo suddenly demanded loudly, calling above the din of the snowstorm.

"I am not at liberty to even speak to you," the Masked Man merely shot back, glaring down at the youth with a haughty glower. "Lowly commoner."

"For an unknown knight to have bested Lord Sathryon…," Leo established as he began to rise, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at their mysterious opponent. "It's just unheard of."

"He got what he deserved," the Masked Man spoke intimately, glaring down at the brown haired Mercenary. "He was weak. Much like his son," the Naerithian knight spoke, this time directing his words to the wide-eyed and listening Selthris. The young Lord raised himself to his feet, raising the broken iron sword he now wielded. His hard frown twitched in annoyance as he regarded it before tossing the weapon away, crunching lightly in the snow. The Masked Man seemed to raise his eyebrow in amusement behind his mask. "Is this truly your answer? You will fight me bare handed?" He questioned incredulously. Selthris opted not to answer however; he let his callous glare speak for him, leaning his head downward in his glower as he clenched his two fists at his side.

"Sel," Leo murmured next to the boy, gripping his own iron sword with both hands. His eyes moved to his right to regard the solid scowl adorned on his companion's expression. "We can't fight like this."

"I don't care," Selthris spat back angrily, his ire clearly directed at the similarly glowering masked general. "I'm going to kill him-"

"You can't fight like this!" The Mercenary warned angrily as he swerved his sweating head on the hard-glowering Selthris. "If you go at him now you'll only die!" He hissed continually, a hard look of his own on his face. Selthris' odious scowl simply shone in response to the older boy's words. The Masked Man merely monopolised his opponent with a lingering glare of his own. "I know this is important; believe me, I do," Leo continued, quietly encouraged by his companion's silence. "But fighting him now is like trying to fight smoke!" The youth hissed onward in his brief explanation. "There's no way we're gettin' out of that alive!"

"Hmph…," the Masked Man finally spoke, his words echoing and carried by the white wind. Selthris' eyebrows rose suddenly as he caught the warrior's words and movement; the Field Marshal raised his robed arm into the air and, like magic, a portal appeared. Presumably created through his massive use of Aegir, a weapon appeared; a sword and sheath. Finally, the masked general used his portal drawing hand to grasp at the unique looking weapon before suddenly tossing it forward harmlessly. It landed with a noisy crunch in front of the wide-eyed Selthris. The young Lord's silver eyes darted down at the fallen weapon before snapping back up to glare in narrowed eyes at his opponent. "A weapon fit for your clan, oh mighty Vikeruce." The Field Marshal finished finally, his words seemingly echoing with a grin to his lips hidden behind the mask. Selthris growled lowly before lowering his eyes to the sheathed sword in question. His eyes widened once more however.

He recognised this blade.

Bending down to pick it up, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously down at the blade, pulling it out of its sheath with a loud shift. The blade shone in the moonlight as he stared down at his reflection.

Perfectly well kept.

Didn't his father own this sword?

Selthris' eyes slowly ascended to rest on the mysterious masked general before him. "Leo," the Lord simply began with, eliciting a wide-eyed frown from the listening Mercenary. "Leave us."

"W-Wha-?" The youth gasped in response, blinking in pure shock. "N-No, no I'm not gonna leave you to fight here alone!"

The silver haired youth yanked his new weapon out of its sheath, dropping the protective clothing to the ground before twirling it around the air. "This is my fight," Selthris hissed angrily. "Let me do this."

"Rgh!" Leo merely grunted back, his concerned scowl twitching in annoyance at the situation; he did as he was ordered however and stepped backwards, perhaps to allow the pair some room.

The wind howled roughly and intensely between the similarly glaring pair; an unnatural amount of hatred building between the pair. As Selthris affixed his stance; his feet kept apart, and his new weapon held far to his right, presumably for attack or defence, he scowled firmly at the watching Masked Man.

"Are you ready now?" The Masked Man finally spoke up, his words echoed as before, carried by the frigid wind of Etherthien. "Son of Sathryon?" He finished in a low toned spit, clearly of hatred. Selthris merely wordlessly glared back at the man, perhaps readying the rest of his nerves for his first, real attempt on his long-awaited revenge.

\--

Using his vast speed and, presumably, his only real advantage, Selthris leapt up into the blizzard air before descending in a spiral slash attack. The Masked Man didn't seem to move, even as he clearly spied the fast approaching swordsman; it was only when the youth clashed with the mysterious warrior did he even seem to react. The Masked Man's own sword, now a new unique one similar in design, clashed noisily and jarringly with Selthris' own; the pair stared at one another viciously, the snowstorm raging around them. The Masked Man seemed to surprise the youth however; with a deft spin of his body he executed a number of quick slashes, forcing the boy to use his Aegir in an attempt to spin his own body around in mid-air defensively. Selthris successfully managed to block the surprisingly swift disguised swordsman's swipes however almost as if he was holding back, a slash got through and grazed the wide-eyed boy's cheek; this allowed the Masked Man to press up his attack with a spin into a slam. Using the hilt of his blade he crashed the sword's hilt roughly into his young opponent's chest; Selthris gave a gasping cough before spinning sideways in recovery, skidding across the snowy ground as he landed. He shot the low stance Masked Man an angry and hateful glare as he skidded before suddenly disappearing once more.

The Masked Man merely stared on after his adversary before slowly relaxing his stance by standing up straight. Suddenly however, and all at once, the Naerithian general shot his sword diagonally backward, easily blocking the super-fast Selthris' stab attempt. Though Selthris growled in disappointed annoyance he swiftly shot onwards to continue his bait and switch technique. Seemingly unfazed however, the Masked Man shot his weapon to his right this time and in a diagonal fashion; the reappeared Selthris shot on by the narrow-eyed Field Marshal, his sword giving a loud and audible clang as they clashed together. Again, he shot his sword diagonally in defence, this time to his left, easily blocking the cursing Selthris' attempted strike. Just as before however, Selthris reappeared above the masked general, sword held overhead; the Masked Man bulleted his sword upwards to defend; the two swords clashed as Selthris cursed again, this time loudly. The Masked Man used this time to use his free hand; he shot it upwards along with his sword, seemingly glowing with charged Aegir. Selthris stared down at the technique with growing concern, perhaps unsure; when he was pulled forward defencelessly however it was too late. The Naerithian knight grabbed the young Aselian sword fighter by the scruff of his neck and brought him downward, eliciting a wide-eyed yell from the boy.

Selthris crashed to the ground roughly, snow and ice flying upward from his descent. As the snow and blizzard settled, Selthris was found laying on the ground in a defensive pose, eyes narrowed and teeth grit angrily. The Masked Man glared down at his adversary, still gripping the boy by his clothing, his sword's stab attack blocked by Selthris' own raised weapon; diagonally held, the pair could do little more than glare at one another in hatred as their arms shook from the strain they were causing each other. Through his sweat and worry however, Selthris growled as he snapped his eyes downward and used his legs to catch the now gasping masked general's legs off guard, tripping him up successfully. Using the situation to his advantage, Selthris allowed his adrenaline to overtake him and leapt to his feet before spin-slashing the grunting Masked Man across the face, sending him sailing across the air. The young Lord gave pursuit in a bound forward, his Aegir boosting his speed from his feet; gripping his new sword with both hands he spun around in mid-air as he reached the careering masked general, yelling as he did so. The young sword fighter let out a gradual war cry as he spun his body around hastily in his attack, presumably hoping to end the fight as quickly as possible. Even as the Masked Man suffered his opponent's super-fast slices, Selthris' fear and concern grew as continued his relentless attack.

Surely it couldn't be this easy?

Regardless he finished his assault by channelling Quintessence to his new sword; lightning chirped and flashed noisily as he spun around one final time. He yelled loudly to go along with the deafening sound the lightning gave off, sending the shut-eyed and sizzling Masked Man rocketing into the snowy mountain he once stood on. Selthris gasped as he landed to one knee, the frigid howl of the snowstorm still ever present. He watched the snow drop almost instantaneously as his opponent smashed into the mountain's rough wall, the large snow flumping down to meet him. Though Leo made to walk forward, perhaps unsure as to whether the fight was over, he stopped as he watched the snow explode in a fiery show of white fluff. It joined the raging snowstorm of Wrulz Mountain and behind the burning aura of Quintessence he generated stood the narrow-eyed Masked Man. Selthris spat a small drop of blood to his left in his hard and half-disappointed scowl.

He knew it wouldn't have been as simple as that.

"Impressive!" The Field Marshal called out loudly as he stepped forward, his intense aura of Aegir melting the very snow he walked down upon. "You are indeed worthy; the last surviving son of Sathryon!"

Selthris merely stared back wordlessly at the disguised general, twirling his new sword around his right arm, perhaps readying himself.

"But all it is, is hidden potential," the Masked Man spoke once more, this time his words a bare whisper. His Quintessence managed to carry his words over the raging snowstorm and Selthris' firm scowl twitched as he listened to them. "You will not even live long enough to realise it." The man's voice turned even lower; a barely audible hard hiss to spice the words. Selthris watched him intently, ready to defend and counter whatever was thrown at him. Even as that thought crossed his mind however the Masked Man immediately disappeared, seemingly using his speed once again. Selthris snapped his sweat-driven scowl on his right and leapt backwards into the air; the Masked Man gave pursuit, seemingly appearing as if from no-where.

Surely he wasn't that fast?

Was he holding back?

Selthris just barely managed to block the Field Marshal's aerial swipes; even as they landed, the Masked Man's Aegir aura blazed onward, cutting at the snow and easily evaporating it. Selthris let out a roar as he spun around in place, raising his sword diagonally upward as he did so in a defensive motion. It caught the Masked Man's diagonal hack and, as it did, the boy's own blue aura burst forth from his body. The Masked Man's eyes widened behind his visor and, as the two struggled with their attack, Selthris' fiery blue aura eventually crept to crash with his own blazing red one. The two swordsmen spent several seconds staring at one another, death glares attached to their expressions as their weapons drew audible and visible sparks to go with their impassioned fires. Finally, and all at once however, the table begun to shift; the masked Field Marshal let out a low chuckle as Selthris' strength began to fail him. The boy's aura similarly dropped, easily being overtaken and eaten by his opponent's, his body bending backward under the pressure the fierce swordsman offered. Eventually, as he dreaded, Selthris' defence was run through; the Masked Man let out an audible laugh as he sent the boy's new sword rolling across the snowy ground. Selthris merely gasped in horror as he watched his only hope to win the engagement fly off from his grip; he snapped his wide-eyed and sweat-stricken head upwards to find the Masked Man leaping forward in an obvious pursuing stab attack. As a last-ditch effort, Selthris brought up his two arms and crossed them together roughly, charging his Aegir to use as an obvious shield.

Leo cursed quietly as he watched before going for his weapon again and leaping off in pursuit to assist his falling friend however, noticing movement from the cabin he gasped and stopped almost immediately. With untold velocity, an unnatural wind blew from the cabin and slashed at the wide-eyed Masked Man, sending him retreating backward from his previous attack. Selthris gasped in similarly surprised widened eyes as he watched the wind give form to a person. A man, taller than him and wearing the same robes he remembered stood before him, his back to him. White hair, eyepatch across his left eye… it was definitely him.

It was his rescuer from before; Ivan.

A number of awkward, tense seconds passed between the small group of four as they watched; the newly re-introduced Ivan glared with his one good eye at the similarly firm eyed Masked Man.

"Hmph…," he intoned loudly, raising his head upward at the interruption with a superior sense to his speech. "You were lucky, son of Sathryon," he spoke lowly, his voice carried over once more by the wind. Selthris' spiky silver blew roughly in the snowstorm as he knelt down on one knee, staring forward in shock. "Pray we do not meet again." He finally echoed with a hard narrow of his eyes and, like magic, his fiery Aegir aura teleported away before his body did. Selthris only realised his great fatigue when the man left however and gasped continually in effort before growling in anger as he smashed a frustrated fist into the frost below him.

"Curse him!" The boy hissed, more to himself than to anyone else, his silver eyes scrunched shut. His eyes re-opened however as he watched the snow below him melt slowly from the now tepid Quintessence around his body. "Curse myself." He thought once more as he frowned down at the ground before shaking his head.

I wasn't strong enough, he thought firmly.

He was definitely holding back.

But how much?

It didn't feel like all that much… perhaps there was still a shot.

"Sel."

The youth in question turned his head, his affectionate nickname obvious to the one who spoke it; the frowning Leo stood over him, arm lowered to rest on his back comfortingly. He nodded his head in Ivan's retreating direction.

"Come on," he urged quietly. "Live today… fight tomorrow," the Mercenary spoke wisely before cracking a light grin at the frowning boy. "Right?"

Selthris couldn't help but grow a small, wan smile of his own in response before nodding and standing. "Yeah."

4

Selthris frowned down at the warm beverage in both his hands, sitting on his bed he had earlier slept in. Finally, the door to his room opened and the one-eyed Ivan walked through, shutting it behind him quietly. Selthris raised his silver head to face the much older man, waiting for him to open his mouth.

"They're settled down," the Swordmaster spoke as he walked over to the room's side, bringing with him a chair presumably to sit in. It screeched loudly as he placed it down and sat in it. "We left out details; your companion was most helpful."

"I'm… grateful," Selthris thanked once more, lowering his eyes shamefully. "That's twice you've saved me."

Ivan merely folded his arms and crossed his leg, leaning his head at the boy.

"S-So you… you saw him for yourself then," Selthris spoke once more, re-raising his head and frowning at the man. Ivan raised a curious eyebrow. "The Masked Man?"

"That Naerithian soldier?" The Swordmaster questioned curiously. Receiving a visible nod, he continued. "He was well skilled; I have not seen raw Aegir in person like that in ten years at least."

Selthris' eyes widened in shock.

Was the Masked Man truly that powerful?

"So… he murdered your father?" Ivan asked, raising another eyebrow. "Is this why you attacked him?"

Selthris' firm scowl returned to his face as he thought of the general in question. "I need power if I'm going to successfully stop him."

"All you're stopping is his life," Ivan interrupted, a hard and knowing frown to his lips. "Revenge is simply just another name for murder."

Selthris opened his mouth, as if to retort however he grunted and wandered his eyes away from his speaking partner's.

"Are you still looking for tutelage?"

The surprised Lord shot his head back up, shocked. "W-Wha-?"

Ivan stared back at him, as firmly as he had done before. "I watched you both fight… and…," he began lowly, lowering his eyes once before re-raising them to face the boy once more. "You certainly are hiding some of your potential; I'm not sure how much of this is but I have re-considered your request."

"Y-You mean…?" Selthris stammered, widened eyes, unable to believe it as he leaned forward.

Ivan nodded, his hard frown ever prevalent on his lips. "Yes. I will teach you."

A slow grin broke out over the boy's face and he opened his mouth to voice his joy. "So-"

"Though I have conditions," Ivan's deep voice interrupted the boy's surprising him with a frown. He raised one of his calloused fingers upward to signify a number; one. "You will not ask me anything of my past," he requested, drawing a visible nod from the boy. "You will use the forbidden techniques I teach you in your quest to avenge your father exclusively and only if you absolutely must," he finished, raising a second finger; two. "Are we agreed?"

Selthris nodded wordlessly, a gulping frown attached to his expression.

A small grin broke out on the man's face. "Then our training begins now."


	12. Furnace that Anger

Chapter 12: Furnace That Anger; Learn the Forbidden Techniques!  
Expedition in Etherthien Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Behind the Clouds" – Black Lagoon OST. Chapter Briefing.

\--

In the Etherthien Civil War Selthris and his small Aselian force have been sent to the Wrulz Mountains in an effort to halt the flow of supplies to the Rebel Alliance; King Alaric of Etherthien has his Special Operation forces interrogate the transporter of the previous supply company in order to obtain the information he used for the previous supply block. Unfortunately, however, given their previous experience it would appear the tactician of the Rebel Alliance had prepared for this event extensively and had managed to take the Aselian force off guard with an ambush force. Despair prevailed for the quickly surrounded Aselian forces however morale was soon returned to them when their military forces were suddenly saved by the intervention of a skilled, unknown swordsman. With his intense swordsmanship and their morale renewed, the Aselian force used his intervention to their advantage and successfully drove the ambush force off, completing their mission.

However, it was during this very engagement that Selthris noticed the object of his intense hatred; Naerith's Masked Man. His father's killer, whether a hallucination or not, stood on a mountain and stared back down at him. The mere appearance of the elusive soldier forced the boy out of his room into a confrontation; the two quickly drew swords and fought. Though obviously holding the lion's share of his power from the field, Selthris drew his chances better than he previously thought before; indeed, with even further encouragement, the mysterious Ivan has even agreed to mentor the youth in the way of the sword. Though this will obviously draw a hole in their plans to assist Etherthien's King Alaric, Selthris can only but agree.

Now, finally, he can truly begin to work at his biggest goal.

Vengeance.

\--

Scene 1

"Is that all the power you have?" Ivan's firm, deep voice came from the front. Selthris gasped continually as he dropped to his one knee, sweating profusely. "With that you will simply drop dead when you confront your father's killer."

With those words re-energising him he re-raised his head back up to glare at the perfect posture of his new mentor before growling and taking off after him, rushing across the fluffy white snow under his boots. He crashed his sword with his opponent's, clanging loudly across the mountains in a deafening echo; Ivan followed up his defence by simply pushing forward. Selthris gasped, his clumsy offence easily dropped; Ivan quickstepped forward and bent forward to smash the hilt of his blade into the boy's revealed guard, his chest. The young Lord exclaimed in pain as he was sent sailing backward through the air, rolling across the snow. The sword he received from the Masked Man only the night before flew after him, crunching into the snow roughly next to him as he landed.

"Art of the sword is the greatest art available to any practitioner of Aegir," Ivan stated his words, though clearly of a certain bias, seemingly objective. "You carry the world's greatest weapon; its versatility to Aegir's arts are second to none," he continued on, a hard frown adorned on his expression as he turned it down on the gasping boy. "If that's all you can do with the world's greatest weapon… then this teaching will go no-where." He finished in a hard narrow of his eyes. With a low growl, Selthris grasped at the hilt of his sword and leapt to his feet in pursuit once more.

"He just won't give it up…," Leo spoke from the group of spectators that sat on chairs just outside of the cabin they once all resided at. He raised an eyebrow as he folded his arms and crossed his legs in his spectating. "He must be serious about this."

"Serious is puttin' it lightly," Kay laughed from the side as she played cards with her younger brother on a small table they brought out to sit at opposite each other. "I've never seen him so set on something before."

"It's gonna go badly," Sabine spoke from the cabin itself, leaning on it in his own stance. His arms were folded as he peered over at the engagement between their lord and their new saviour. "I've seen this kind of stuff happen before."

"Whether it does or not is of no consequence," Ulric's voice came from the back; Sabine turned to find him sitting down and aiming a small hatchet on a piece of wood perched up on a table. He narrowed his eyes down at it and sliced downward, halving the piece of wood. He reached for another piece and placed it down, repeating the process. "He is our lord after all," the Coremondian Paladin claimed as he sliced the next piece of wood below. "Besides, I'm sure this Ivan fellow know what he's doing."

"Yeah, he definitely saved our hides yesterday," Gerard agreed with his leader, smiling from his own seat. "Got to give him credit where it's due."

"Gotcha again," Gorlin grinned from his own small table as he slammed down the grunting Edgar's hand, presumably in an arm wrestle. The younger Axe Fighter cringed from the seeming pain and twisted his wrist, perhaps to regain some feeling in it. Gorlin raised his eyes over to the training Ivan and Selthris and raised a curious eyebrow as he placed his other beefy hand to rest on his hip. He couldn't help but grin. "That kid's definitely serious though," he added to the conversation. "I hear he nearly died last night fighting that masked creep."

"Yeah," Leo confirmed from the side in a low nod, perhaps annoyed at the situation in question before turning his eyes back on the hard-faced and scowling boy. "If it wasn't for Ivan… I dunno what we'd have done."

"Was it that bad?" Edgar simply asked curiously, turning his body around to face the young Mercenary. Leo nodded his head at the older Axe Fighter.

"That masked fighter in Naerith is one tough mother," the youth claimed. "I threw everything I had at him and got no-where fast."

"And yet Lord Selthris survived?" George spoke up from his card game with Kay. He raised an eyebrow to go with his head.

"My thoughts exactly," Sabine offered in a short jokey snort, arms still folded and still leaning against the cabin. "I've seen you two both fight and you're definitely the better one."

"Yeah…," Leo agreed with in a low murmur, turning his eyes over to rest on the fighting Selthris. "I dunno what to say… I… guess it awakened more power in him or something."

"Well he is the boss' son," Kay pointed out as she shuffled her cards, a low grin on her features. "It makes sense."

"When one's vision, ideals, priorities, whatever…," Edgar began again as he turned back to his arm wrestle with the grinning Gorlin. "When those are strong enough…," he continued through light grunts as he attempted to move the smirking Coremondian giant's fist but to no avail. "A next level of strength is unlocked!" The Axe Fighter exclaimed as he widened his eyes; a surge of power reached his arm and he successfully managed to take his wide-eyed opponent off guard.

"Woah!" The big swordsman gasped; his arm slammed to the table and the large warrior was left gobsmacked at the youth's sudden strength, receiving a simple low grin from the unusually expressed Axe Fighter. Gorlin allowed a grin of his own to penetrate his previously shocked features before slapping the youth across the back affectionately. "Proud of ya kid, well done!"

"I am sure things will be fine master Leo," Ulric spoke up from his chores of cutting the wood, presumably for the fire. The smile on his face backed his story; an amiable disposition. "You worry too much."

"Mm…," Leo agreed with lightly as he folded his own arms, watching the angry and hateful look on his close companion's face. "Maybe."

\--

Even as his light shoes touched the ground, the Masked Man shut his eyes. Re-opening them he found a small gathering before him just next to his chamber in Naerith Castle. The nameless Field Marshal narrowed his eyes suspiciously at them, quickly identifying them; Naerith's Four Knights, the 'Renegade Saints'.

General Cain, Captain Eliana and Major Raymond all stood together next to his chambers.

"What are you all doing here?" The masked Field Marshal demanded, turning his hard eyes on all the watching members. "I didn't realise we had a mission that demanded all four of us?"

"We're here because of your mistakes," Cain spat out angrily, his body in a leaning position. His black armoured arms were folded, and a disapproving scowl crossed his features. "The king has ordered us to inform you that your pay shall be sanctioned for a short while."

"He ordered all three of you to inform me of this?" The Masked Man snorted behind his disguise. "What are you really here for?"

"We know you left to pursue lord Sathryon's son," Raymond began in response, also leaning. His left armoured arm hung at his side limply while his right rested on his hip. "No one received any word of your activity."

"Commander we're worried," Eliana spoke up as she frowned over at her team commandant. "You could have easily died out there in Etherthien."

"But I didn't," the concealed knight spat back, a tone of venom laced through his words. "You think I am so easily beaten? And by the son of the man I so effortlessly destroyed?"

Cain grunted in anger as he listened, ever quick to the response. "Absolutely ridiculous," the General shot back as he shook his head, eager to show his disapproval. "One man against the rest of Aselia's, and even perhaps Etherthien's ranks?" He finished with a snort and a judgmental narrow of his eyes. "Folly."

"I am still here," the Masked Man quipped back with his voice, though clearly riddled with impatience and anger, calmly. "I have no need to be babysit by the very company of knights that I command, much less by the likes of you… Cain." The masked knight added with a low narrow of his eyes. Cain's eyes widened as he listened and watched, positively feeling the grin in his rival's words.

"Say that one more time," the angry General rumbled as he took a few steps forward and grabbed the warrior by his robed clothing, lifting him up effortlessly. The Masked Man glared back down at him, making no effort to regain control. "I dare you." The man challenged angrily.

"No! What are you doing Cain?" Eliana protested, her voice annoyed as she advanced on the glaring pair.

Raymond wordlessly and simply walked in between the silent two and broke up the engagement, pulling them apart with his bare hands. He exchanged his half-curious look with both glowering generals. "We are very close to eradicating the hated Aselian scum," Raymond claimed as he clapped his hands clean of any possible dust before folding them together in his business-like frown. "The last thing we should be doing is fighting with each other."

"Exactly!" Eliana intoned in agreement with the Dragon Knight. "Raymond is right!"

"I will never know why King Alpheus put you in charge of us," General Cain muttered lowly as he narrowed his eyes at the similarly glowering Masked Man. "You are clearly unfit for the job."

The Masked Man merely glared back wordlessly and silently at his sub-ordinate in question before, finally, turning his hard eyes on the rest of his group. "What are you all really here for?"

"To be frank we are very concerned commander," Raymond spoke up as he turned his own frown on his group's leader. "The king has broken contact with us all; only a select few seem to be able to discuss anything with him," he explained briefly before continuing. "Furthermore, the rest of Aselia's force are clearly in hiding, yet our king does nothing to press the attack and finish them off," he claimed. The Masked Man merely stared back coldly in response. "And now we hear you make an unannounced appearance in Etherthien to fight with the son of our enemy?"

"You just told me communication was cut with-"

"Those were the very last orders he gave us," Cain interrupted with; the Masked Man turned with a curious blink. A grin grew on the General's moustached faced as he spoke, perhaps satisfied at his rival's lack of knowledge. "It seems he worked you out fairly quickly… commander."

The Masked Man simply glared back at the General before turning back to the questioning Dragon Knight. "If the king has cut communications then all we can do is trust in his decision. I am certain he will re-open the lines when Aselia finally shows her face."

"W-What about Aselia's lord, commander?" Eliana spoke up in an interested frown. "Did you manage to kill him?"

The disguised Field Marshal turned his narrow-eyed presumable frown on the woman. "No," he answered, eliciting a puzzled blink from her in response. "I was… testing him."

Cain snorted. "You mean you lost."

"I could have killed that brat any time I wanted," the Masked Man spat back angrily. "No; I was stopped by an interloper."

"Interloper?" Raymond parroted, raising a curious eyebrow.

"A hermit living on Wrulz Mountain," he explained briefly, folding his robed arms. "Skilled swordsman."

"Yes…," Cain murmured as he narrowed his eyes at the masked commander, seemingly recognising the description. "A former military man of Etherthien's force if I recall correctly."

"That would explain his strength," the Masked Man claimed. "I wasn't sure whether to challenge him with the rest of the Aselian force nearby."

"Probably the right call…," Raymond murmured as he nodded lowly. "Learning to fight wisely is perhaps the greatest skill a general can employ." The Dragon Knight claimed boldly before folding his arms decisively.

"Why would a man of that strength hide away on a mountain?" Eliana snorted, rolling her eyes in reference to the story. "Pathetic."

"Silence," the Masked Man simply demanded, narrowing his eyes roughly at the young woman. She gasped in response but acquiesced; her superior the only one she truly respected. "Never judge people based on pure conjecture."

"For once I agree," Cain muttered lowly as he narrowed his own eyes forward. "I have crossed swords with that man once before."

"Oh yes?" Naerith's Masked Man asked curiously, turning to him with a raised eyebrow behind his mask. "What is his name?"

Perhaps indulging his sense of mirth at having knowledge beyond his rival's he let out a low grin before finally replying. "They called him Etherthien's 'White Hurricane'," he explained briefly, drawing surprised frowns and raised eyebrows from the listening Masked Man and Eliana. "He was definitely one of the bigger names back in the old days."

"I can confirm that," Raymond agreed with in a low nod of his head, arms still folded. "I have heard multiple stories in the empire of Etherthien's White Hurricane in the continental wars years past."

"But didn't you say he was a hermit now?" Eliana questioned, directing her curious words towards the ever hard-eyed Masked Man. His callous silver orbs darted to find her and narrowed at her before suddenly nodding.

"Yes…," he replied before turning his eyes back on the silent but watching Cain. "As long as we retain our distance, I am fairly certain he will not interfere."

"Hmph…," Cain simply retorted with, looking the masked Field Marshal up and down judgingly. "Why are you so interested in that boy anyway?"

The Masked Man shot an eyebrow upward behind his mask and seemed to grin beneath it, almost insultingly. "Boy?"

"Stop pretending," the General shot back in his own small grin. "Sathryon's runt, the pale imitation; the boy you pursued."

"Hardly any of your business… is it, general?" The masked soldier spat back in response, glaring heatedly back in response. Another couple of uncomfortable seconds passed between the rivalling pair before Raymond finally decided to interject.

"Please… General Cain, leader…," the Dragon Knight sighed lightly, re-opening his eyes in his business-like frown. "The last thing Naerith needs is infighting; we must all work together to stamp out the Aselian scum."

"That, I at least agree on," the Masked Man claimed as he leaned his own hard-eyed stare, still glaring at his second-in-command. "How are things going on the field?" He asked, turning his head to face his loyal knight this time. Though Raymond opened his mouth to answer his commander, his loyal Sniper Eliana shot in the conversation, ever eager to join.

"When Lord Sathryon was still living it was very difficult to even make a dent in their defence," the plain haired Sniper claimed, a visible frown adorned as she spoke. A grin soon formed on her features however as she continued. "Since you have rid us of his fighting skills and leadership, the Aselian ranks have crumbled very quickly."

"Yes," Cain agreed with lowly, his eyes lowering wistfully. "It's almost sad in a way," he began, pulling his comrade's curious attention. His arms stayed folded as he narrowed his eyes downward in thought. "It would appear the loss of Sathryon Vikeruce has dealt such a horrendous blow to Aselia's morale that they can barely fight on as they are," he explained briefly before re-raising his hard-eyed glare on his commander. "I too am unsatisfied."

"Why?" The Masked Man spat back angrily, ever quick to respond. Cain glared back in response, clear rage directing his words.

"Sathryon Vikeruce was my prey, not yours," the General complained angrily, glowering darkly at his commander. "You took from me what I desired… Masked Man."

"Then perhaps you should have won your duel with him at the plains of Aselia field… general Cain," the Saints' commander shot back simply, a raised eyebrow in the tone of his words as he spoke. Another couple of awkward, silent seconds passed between the group of four knights before he finally re-opened his mouth to continue. "Will that be all?"

Raymond exchanged a surprised look with the frowning Eliana before nodding and turning back to face him. "U-Um yes I… suppose so, commander."

The Masked Man pushed past the growling Cain before replying over his shoulder. "Keep me apprised if Aselia begins to move again," he called before stopping to turn his hard-eyed glare on the three knights behind him. "No-one is to take Sathryon's runt's life; he is mine."

"Yes, commander," Eliana responded obediently, nodding in response. "I will report to you personally if you wish."

The masked swordsman stared decisively at the three for a second or two before suddenly turning back to continue his march, seemingly leaving them to their devices.

"I wonder what that could be about?" Raymond wondered aloud in a low murmur, his arms still folded.

"I don't trust him," Cain spat out angrily, glaring on after their marching field officer. "What could King Alpheus be thinking? We know almost nothing of this man."

"He is our greatest warrior; that is all we need to know," Eliana shot back cheekily, narrowing her eyes at the older warrior. He clicked his tongue in a display of annoyance as he turned his eyes over to the young woman. "That is the Naerith code after all; skill is all that matters."

"T'will hardly matter," the moustached general began in a low murmur as he leant his body to the side, arms also folded. "When he inevitably betrays our trust." He finished with a rough and suspicious narrow of his eyes.

"Truly?" Raymond questioned curiously, turning a raised eyebrow on their sub-commander. "You honestly think he has considered defecting? To whom?"

"Who else?" Cain grunted back, turning his low scowl on the Dragon Knight. "Aselia."

Eliana snorted in laughter, this time loudly. "Do you even hear how you sound?"

"I should be asking you the same question," the older soldier simply shot back, seething as he did so. "This… fascination you have with him borders on mania," he hissed, this time an amused grin adorned on his rough expression. Eliana's initially entertained grin quickly shifted to a riled grimace. "I'm honestly curious; is it some twisted form of adoration or is it simply a perversion?"

"H-How dare you infer such a thing?!" The livid Sniper yelled back in anger. The listening Raymond couldn't help but wince as he watched. Cain chuckled lowly in a gratified smirk. "I have no fascination with our commander!" She exclaimed before continuing, taking a step closer to stare up at the smirking general. "It is his fighting ability with which I am fascinated with!"

"Eliana… please…," Raymond pleaded with a low sigh as he shut his eyes temporarily in impatience before re-opening them to frown over at his sub-commander. "General Cain, how do you mean exactly? What gives you reason to believe he'd leave us for his foe?"

Cain chuckled once, presumably at the hard-scowling Eliana before raising his low smirk on the Dragon Knight next to him. "I admit it may sound strange, considering," the man claimed cryptically. "But everything about that cursed warrior suggests an Aselian background."

Eliana lost her previously angry scowl, this time occupying her face with a surprised and quizzical frown. "What are you talking about?"

"I am well aware of the military styles of fighting they employ in Aselia." The general claimed as he turned his low smirk into a light frown of his own.

"Yes, the Naerith and Aselian war twenty years ago?"

Cain nodded simply.

"So, what's your point?" Eliana snapped, impatience seemingly growing.

"Do I have to spell this out?" Cain chuckled, amused. "Our commander fights like an Aselian."

"I have noticed similarities." Raymond claimed, turning his eyes away from the man. Eliana's eyes widened in shock, seemingly eliciting a satisfied smirk and chuckle.

"But most of all… his style is derivative of Sathryon Vikeruce."

"W-What?!" Eliana exclaimed, the impact of his words hitting hard.

"A-Are you sure?" Raymond stammered, narrowing his eyes as he spoke to turn his eyes back on the man.

This time Cain scowled lowly. "I'd know that rat's sword art anywhere," he growled out in explanation. "I lost to it, once… after all."

"But then… that would mean…"

"Yes," Cain answered the pondering Eliana with a hard, decisive frown. "He was taught by him."

Raymond tilted his head unsurely. "Can you be certain?"

"I cannot provide hard evidence, but their swordplay may as well be," Cain simply answered with, twitching his moustache at the younger warrior as he turned to face him. "Mark my words; our commander is not who you think he is." He stated, his eyes glaring hard at the pair of surprised and frowning generals before turning to walk off down the hall.

"But then… who can we truly trust?" Raymond asked, frustrated as he raised his arms upward in a display. General Cain stopped his own march before turning his short haired head around to face the pair of disturbed knights.

"Yourselves."

2

Selthris yelled for the umpteenth time; he was sent sailing from his opponent's skilful series of slashes and strikes, his body slamming against the snowy ground roughly. He grunted, his low scowl twitching in pain as he peeled himself off the battlefield; he re-opened his eyes in a surprised gasp to find his ever firm faced mentor looming over him, body and arm bent down towards him in an obvious effort to pick him up. Though gasping from fatigue and presumable pain the youth grunted as he took the man's hand, pulling himself up with it.

"Impressive," Ivan spoke as he took a step back to watch the boy gasp tiredly. "I don't believe even I took to this technique with such speed."

"W-What… does that mean… for me?" Selthris gasped out as he huffed continually.

Ivan snorted, a hard look in his eye. "You know the answer boy," he shot back roughly. "If you even need to ask just look at yourself," he offered, eliciting a surprised frown from the boy. He did just as he was asked, feeling rather stupid. Only when he noticed his pulled muscles, his extreme fatigue and his tiredness did he even realise what his teacher was getting at. "If you mis-perform this sword-art… you may die."

Even having turned his eyes downward in silent search, Selthris' shocked snap up of his eyes and gasp realigned his surprise. "B-But I may need this-"

Ivan merely turned his body around to walk away, presumably after the tools they utilised in their lesson. "You need your life," he called on after the boy over his shoulder, eyes narrowing lightly before turning it back as he walked. "At least until you succeed."

Those words stayed with him, seemingly echoed in the harsh wind of Etherthien's light blizzard. He stood there transfixed on the man's walking, seemingly focused on nothing in particular.

And yet what if he worked out a way to use the technique without endangering his life, he thought.

Before he could even give voice to his words however he jolted in complete surprise, turning his initially annoyed frown on the interruption only to find the ever-grinning Leo, arm ringed 'round his shoulder.

"Leo," Selthris gasped in relief, shutting his eyes temporarily before re-opening them, regarding his close companion with a miffed frown. "What, what's happened?"

"Nothin' I just wanted to see how you're doin', that's all," the Mercenary shot back in his ever-sociable grin before turning his eyes forward in a surprised frown. Finding the slow walking Swordmaster he raised an eyebrow as he turned back to his friend. "Did he teach you it already? The super technique?"

"Among other things," Selthris groaned, turning his eyes away from the older youth. "I'm not to use it however."

Leo raised an initially curious brown eyebrow upwards as he frowned back at the younger boy. "Why?" He simply asked. When he received an annoyed, deadpan frown in response he winced but grinned ever in reply. "All right, all right message received," he chuckled before turning his eyes back on the walking Ivan. "So, you both comin' back in now?"

"Sure," Selthris sighed as he rubbed the skin between his eyes, eyes shut. "We've done all we can out here anyway."

Leo took his arm off his companion's neck and grinned back at him as they both turned for the cabin once more. "Can't believe you've learned so much in such a short time."

"It's just as well," Selthris replied, his voice low as he frowned forward presumably in thought. "We should have returned to Etherthien castle by now."

"Oh, yeah," Leo grimaced lightly in recognition, turning his eyes downward. "Think he'll be mad?"

"No, somehow I think King Alaric will understand," the Lord replied with a negative shake of his head. "If he doesn't then we'll simply just mention the ambush."

"Good plan," Leo grinned confidently, snapping his fingers in the low-eyed Lord's face in response. "So, what's the plan then, Sel?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned his eye over to his close companion. "We leave tomorrow?"

Selthris nodded as they approached the cabin door. "The quicker we sort this issue with Etherthien, the faster we can return to our real problem."

Leo's ever eternal grin did not leave him, even as they entered together. "Whatever you say boss."


	13. Assault on Fort Chiribald

Chapter 13: Assault on Fort Chiribald; End the Civil War!  
Expedition in Etherthien Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Behind the Clouds" – Black Lagoon OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"The Very, Very Strongest" – One Piece OST. Scene 2 (First Half).  
"Chateau" – The Matrix Reloaded OST. Scene 3 (First Half).

\--

With great aptitude and interest Selthris improves his swordsmanship skills at an unprecedented rate, his goal of avenging his father growing ever closer. Under the tutelage of Ivan of Etherthien's Wrulz Mountains he has drastically increased not only his general fighting skills but his patience, punishing, Aegir control, execution and footwork. However, they have idled where they are, even as short as they have, for far too long; Etherthien's unrest grows ever further with the looming threat of civil war on the frontlines and King Alaric is in desperate need of further assistance in order to quell the rapidly cultivating dilemma.

Having involved himself further with the object of his pursuit, the Masked Man is questioned and seen suspiciously by his constant companions; Naerith's four Renegade Saints, the elite knight unit. His duel with his victim's son on Wrulz Mountains ended in a simple draw due to the interference of Ivan himself; the Masked Man grimaces with hatred at his prey having been snatched from him, seemingly eager to kill off the rest of the Vikeruce clan. King Alpheus meanwhile has ordered all direct connections save for a strangely specific one to be cut, further hampering Naerith's ability to pursue the fallen remnants of Aselia's military. Though the Renegade Saints voice their disapproval they have no access with which to express this and, thus, are begrudgingly compelled to follow suit.

With the remaining soldiers of Sathryon's Aselian army, some extra assistance from an Aselian villager and an accomplished Coremondian swordsman, Selthris turns his attention back on returning to the capital for one last job…

\--

Scene 1

"Ah, finally!" King Alaric smiled widely and invitingly, as if relieved as he witnessed the approaching Selthris accompanied by an Etherthien soldier. The soldier stood next to the young Lord and turned his head ever dutifully toward his king inquisitively. Alaric merely smiled and nodded, waving the man off.

"Thank you, my king." The soldier thanked gratefully, bowing respectfully before turning to leave the pair alone. Selthris re-adjusted his initially hard frown to a lighter one as he strode into the room.

"It feels as though it has been years since I last saw you, my son," Alaric chuckled good humouredly as the young silver haired boy walked toward the older male. "And yet it has only been a week since I sent you up there on Wrulz Mountain." The king chortled once more, his posture ever straight and formal. His hands joined behind his back sagely as he regarded the youth below him amiably.

"Yes I… I apologise, your highness," Selthris replied calmly and apologetically, bowing as the soldier did before him before turning his hard frown on the man above him once more. "Our force was certainly kept busy."

"Oh, don't apologise," Alaric responded good naturedly. "Though we have definitely been struggling as of late with this civil war business." The man sighed with a melancholic frown of his own.

Selthris winced ever so slightly before opening his own mouth to reply. "How have things been going?"

"Not very well, I won't lie to you," the king claimed in another sigh as he lowered his head and walked forward, presumably for a simple constitutional. Selthris turned and followed him wordlessly, eyes turning up to him as he awaited his further elaboration. "We are losing our influence and control all across the country; our strategists believe it is the work of a strategist of their own actually," he began again, his footsteps clicking noisily in the lavish hall that they walked. "We are losing men every day on the frontlines to their attacks and each day another of the commoners join their fight," Etherthien's king explained further before finally smiling lightly as he continued. "However, on the bright side I believe we have finally discovered the ringleader of this little rebellion." He finished in his positive smile, turning it down on the boy walking next to him. Selthris raised a curious silver eyebrow upward as he listened.

"Right?" The youth questioned as he watched the man carefully, as if for any hints. "How did you find that out?"

"Upon further interrogation that young man your Aselian troop had captured proved to be yet helpful," King Alaric smiled on as they turned a corner, passing patrolling soldiers and robed men and women. "It would appear our uprising's leader is a former noble, funnily enough," the man claimed before further elaborating. "Gallarus Cinnario."

"Gallarus?" Selthris parroted, narrowing his eyes lightly in thought before turning his eyes forward. "Former lord Gallarus?"

Alaric nodded as they continued on down the hall. "I feel so completely foolish now that I realise I overlooked him," he claimed, shaking his head in self-disappointment. "A policy that I introduced a few years back had unfortunately managed to turn he and his family quickly into poverty," he explained lightly, frowning forward as he did so. "It was a change in tax more suited to the poor folk; I was attempting to share our country's wealth and while it did help those less fortunate it would appear it struck those well off much harder than I realised."

"I… see," Selthris replied, turning his eyes downward in thought. "I'm sorry, politics aren't really my strong suit."

"Neither mine," Etherthien's king smirked in the swordsman's direction good humouredly before continuing. "I know lord Gallarus is very charismatic; it would certainly explain his actions and the people following him in this war."

"But…?"

"But it doesn't explain their success on the battlefield," King Alaric frowned out, narrowing his eyes forward suspiciously. "As long as I have known him, lord Gallarus has never been very competent in military matters."

"Maybe…," Selthris began in response, his own eyes narrowing in thought. Alaric turned his own eyes over to the younger noble in curiosity as they walked together. "Maybe your theory of a strategist is sound then?"

Alaric nodded, his frown hard. "Yes, it would certainly make sense," he claimed, before turning his head back forward. "It would appear that they have made a final gambit."

Raising a silver eyebrow wordlessly, Selthris allowed the older man to continue impeded.

"I have just received word that, Fort Chiribald, a league away from here has been attacked and took over rather promptly."

"What's in Fort Chiribald?" Selthris asked curiously, tilting his head as they walked on.

"Supplies… and weapons," the king smiled wanly before continuing. "I am told they are to combine their own weaponry with some of our own in Fort Chiribald; we are unsure as to their motivations."

"But you think they have some kind of trump card, huh?" The Lord questioned, finishing his sentence for him. King Alaric nodded.

"Yes," the man chuckled lightly, nodding as he did so. "I feel it is simply just too risky to leave it unchecked. I'll lend you some of our troops to use; I hear they have numerous of their own there, commanded by generals of some renown."

"But… what about the capital?"

Alaric raised his eyebrows, surprised. "What about it?"

"Surely they'll try and attack if we leave?" The silver haired boy asked, tilting his head once more. "We'd be leaving you here undefended."

"Well I suppose I'll just have to take that risk," Alaric chuckled good naturedly as they stopped moving, reaching the end of the hallway. His arms were still joined behind him as he continued on. "If we have enough soldiers left here to assist then we shall be fine. Besides, a ruler must take significant risks if he, or she, must dare to hope to bring an end to chaos."

Selthris couldn't help but smile back in response to the words his elder spoke. "Sounds like something-"

"It is," Alaric smiled back lightly, nodding calmly in his own reply. "I had learned a lot from your father, young man."

"Perhaps I can learn from you then," Selthris offered in a delicate smile. "My father always told me I was sorely lacking in etiquette."

"I would be glad to teach you, my son," Alaric laughed good naturedly before putting back on a less relaxed expression. "Now, Fort Chiribald, I imagine is heavily defended. After the previous attack they will not only have access to their own weaponry but theirs, I imagine, will also be improved with our own."

"Giving us one hell of a job," Selthris shot back with a low smirk, raising a silver eyebrow upward as he did so. "What makes you so confident we can do this?"

This time, it was Alaric's turn to grin; he opened his mouth to respond. "You are the only son of Sathryon… after all."

\--

"I don't like this," Rouka called out for the umpteenth time as she paced around the inside of Fort Chiribald castle. A fire blared away, keeping the two soldiers heated as they seemingly waited for something. "This is too obvious."

"Quieten down, Rouka," Lachlan sighed out, similarly for the umpteenth time, clearly tired. "Rest your nerves; things are going well."

"In what universe are things going well?" General Rouka exclaimed in a small fit of impatience and anger, 'rounding her low scowl on the sighing Lachlan. She stomped over toward him and glared down at him as she continued. "We've been sent here for a reason!"

"And what reason is that." General Lachlan asked in response, the tone of his words suggesting more of a forced acknowledgment than anything else. His eyes lowered with their eyelids, displaying his lack of interest. She growled back at him in growing discontent.

"Can't you even see when things are too obviously controlled?" She shot back at him angrily, pacing around the room as she did so. She ended her walk as she approached the castle window, glaring out at the light snow that still dropped from the sky, blanketing the battlefield they previously fought on in a show of white fluff. "I never trusted that tactician of his…" She muttered lowly, perhaps more to herself than to her companion.

"Rouka…," Lachlan sighed once more, gripping the skin between his nose in his show of weariness. "You are far too suspicious," he explained briefly before re-opening his eyes, regarding his irked comrade with another frown of his own. She snapped her head 'round to face him, another annoyed scowl attached to it. "It makes no sense!" The Mercenary exclaimed, his frustration growing and obviously showing as he forced himself up from his chair. "Why would Lord Gallarus and Lord Cadil both send us out here to simply die? Listen to yourself!" The military man pointed out, annoyed as he illustrated his words with hand gestures, approaching the younger woman. She growled back at him as he continued. "If we need to be suspicious of anything I say be suspicious of King Alaric," he claimed, eyes also turning out toward the snowy battlefield occupied by their soldiers. "Lord Cadil and Lord Gallarus are both right; King Alaric is merely a pretender of morality, we must succeed."

"What if he's not?" Rouka interrupted, eliciting a surprised frown from the listening Lachlan. The younger Swordfighter turned her hard frown on the Mercenary above her with a concerned crease to her expression. "What if Cadil's merely preying on the one thing we used to feel so passionate about? What if he's done the same with Lord Gallarus?"

Though Lachlan stared back at the hard-eyed Swordfighter with a surprised frown of his own, he eventually swerved his own concerned frown back out the window before responding. "Anything's possible I suppose but…," the older Mercenary murmured, perhaps more to himself. However, he quickly continued, seemingly confident once more. "Why would Lord Gallarus go with such a plan?" He added, turning back to face the young woman confidently. "He may not be too smart, but he'd know if he was being played and he wouldn't do that to us; we're his friends aren't we?"

"All we are is a means to an end," Rouka muttered back in response before turning and leaving. Lachlan was left with a shocked, wide-eyed frown as he listened, watching her leave silently. She turned her head half-way back to face him as she continued. "Mark my words Lachlan," she began again as she watched him at the corner of her eye; he stared back, surprised. She opened her mouth to speak her final piece before leaving, her words echoing in the chamber. "We're going to find out just how expendable we truly are."

2

Even as they approached Fort Chiribald, Selthris couldn't help but worry about what King Alaric had told him earlier. Even as he sat atop the war horse gifted to him by Etherthien's king, the rest of his small Aselian force trailing behind him. The nameless soldiers of Etherthien, also entrusted to his care by their country's leader, all marched via foot behind the mounted Aselian officers. Carrying the dark purple battle standard flag in the centre of their battalion, they marched ever forward under the initial Aselian force. Their similarly indigo shaded armour was a sight indeed, between the constant snowfall and the other severe weather.

"Sel…," Leo murmured as he drew his own horse closer to his companion's. Selthris turned his head to his left, his eyes still set hard on the small castle ahead of their position. "Are you sure we should be doing this?" The Mercenary asked, perhaps unsure. This time, Selthris turned his surprised frown on his closest friend quizzically.

"What are you-?"

"I'm gettin' a serious feeling; I don't know what to call it," the youth explained, hushed perhaps hoping the other members couldn't hear them. Selthris watched his friend, unsure himself. His hard frown creased as he listened, perhaps trying to understand. "Foreboding maybe?" He offered. Selthris turned his silver eyes back on the fast approaching castle, eyes narrowing at it. He had never distrusted any of Leo's hunches or concerns before…

… but now he had no choice.

"Not that I don't believe you, Leo," Selthris began carefully, his eyes still set hard on their approaching destination. "But without this job… there's no feasible way we can return to Aselia… is there?"

Leo simply nodded wordlessly, wincing lightly in his frown as if looking for some other way to get his point across.

Selthris put on a low grin as he watched forward. "Thanks for the warning," he shot out with confidently before continuing. "All the more reason to finish this as soon as possible."

"Words I can get behind." Kay threw forward in her own grin, eliciting initially surprised frowns from the pair of boys before they put on smiles of their own.

"With the hope of Aselia, and Lord Sathryon, our blades will free Etherthien," George tossed in; the small group, surprised at his interjection, turned to face him with raised eyebrows. He frowned at them. "W-What?"

"Well, if we're gonna make this the last push, I say we do it now," Sabine sighed in from his own horse further back. He twirled the bow he carried around his left arm and narrowed his eyes forward. "Faster we're outta here the better."

"Ain't gonna be no problem, not with these men," Gorlin claimed boldly from the other side, gripping his horse's reigns with a grin on his own expression. "I can hardly return to Lady Salnarra if we lose this fight, can I?"

"The same goes true for our force too," Gerard spoke up next to the larger man, his armour clinking noisily atop his horse. His eyes narrowed forward as he continued. "To lose here today… is to besmirch Lord Sathryon's honour!"

"I don't know much about honour, but...," Edgar muttered from the centre, behind the main force, riding his horse further forward to join them. He raised his head to frown in a business-like manner as he always did. "I'm not lettin' my friends do this alone."

"Are you certain about this, Lord Selthris?" Ulric questioned as he approached his commander's own horse with his, frowning as he did so. Selthris turned to face him with his own frown, nodding.

"This is where things finally turn around for us," the youth claimed before turning his eyes back to the castle ahead of them. His eyes narrowed as he finished. "This is where we put life back into Aselia."

Ulric couldn't help but smirk and chuckle as he listened.

Selthris raised a curious eyebrow and turned to face him once more. "What?" He simply asked.

"Oh, it's... nothing," the veteran Paladin chuckled, grinning back at the boy. "I just see a lot of your father in you," he claimed. "That is all."

Even with his own knowledge of his father, Selthris couldn't help but smirk back in response before turning his eyes forward, the morale of the Aselian force climbing.

"That's all the proof we need that this is going to work," the Lord claimed before unsheathing his unique sword and directing it forward to point at the castle before their path. He put on a small grin, as if looking forward to the coming events. "This day... victory will be ours!"

\--

"W-Wha- Who-Whose force is that?"

"It's Etherthien... Etherthien is attacking!"

"They'll be here any minute!"

Even as he approached, Lachlan narrowed his eyes at the rushing and panicking soldiers dressed in a bright, white purple; the rebel soldiers. The Mercenary strode a few steps forward to find the folded armed Rouka at the edge of the fort, seemingly staring over at the approaching soldiers below them. He frowned over at her as he walked over toward his shaky ally, hoping perhaps to set her mind at ease.

"Rouka...," he began lightly but loudly enough that she flinched, perhaps reacting to his presence. He took a few more hesitant steps forward before finally standing next to the armoured woman, his eyes only turned toward her. "Is your squad ready? They don't seem to be very calm at the moment." The Mercenary claimed boldly though professionally. The Swordfighter merely glared down at the approaching enemy forces before finally opening her mouth to respond.

"They're panicking because they know what's going to happen, Lachlan," she replied simply before suddenly turning her head to glare back at the surprised Mercenary's face. "With our current numbers... we have no chance."

"We are not finished here today," Lachlan snapped back in response, a tone of anger through his voice as he replied. "I and my force will hold them back if we have to," he added before turning his hard-faced scowl on the horse-led Etherthien force below. "Force the prisoners to fight if we have to; we will take this day!" Lachlan finished loudly, calling the surprised Rouka's squad's attention toward him. Perhaps accelerated through his motivation they eventually begun to stop rushing and panicking, attempting to take positions for the incoming attack.

"Where are you going?" Rouka asked over her shoulder, catching her ally walking off. He turned over his own shoulder to frown back at her before replying.

"I'm going to meet them on ground level," the Mercenary threw behind him, eyes of his own narrowing as he spoke. "As long as we make uses of Fort Chiribald's defences we cannot lose." He spoke boldly. This time, Rouka twitched her hard frown at him uncertainly but opted not to reply, watching him carefully.

"You better pray you're right then," she finally responded, her hard frown expressing the concern written all over it. "Or we both die." She finally ended with as she turned her head back 'round to glaring down at the approaching enemy force. Lachlan stared back at her for a second or two uneventfully before finally turning to march off in presumable search of his own squad.

3

Wielding the sword he had previously received from the Masked Man on Wrulz Mountain, Selthris bounded himself off the horse he rode on and rocketed forward using his Aegir as the fuel. He rotated around countless times as he approached the yelling rebel soldiers, cutting through their raised shields and, left a trail of burning lightning as he did so. The two foot-soldiers both gave an audible grunt as they endured the youth's superfast strike, sending them just a few small yards skidding back in chipping pain before they widened their eyes forward and above their position; two men plummeted down toward them, weapons at the ready. The watching Selthris, using his speed, put on a small grin as he leapt forward after landing; sending the very Quintessence to the soles of his feet he used its marvel to run up the very wall of Fort Chiribald. When he finally reached the top he backflipped in place as he did, shocking the wide-eyed Archer standing on the crow's nest he occupied. Selthris hovered over the horror expressed bow-fighter before raising his sword overhead and grunting as he brought it down hard. The Archer gasped, raising his steel bow upward to block the strike but alas, it was too strong; Selthris' dense slash was true and simply passed through the weapon and even the bright-white purple armour he wore of the Rebel Alliance. The Archer let loose one more cracked whisper of a gasp, shocked as his enemy's sword pierced the crown of his head. Time seemed to slow down for the pair before Selthris finally sped things up by yanking his weapon from the man's wound, eliciting a pained gurgle of blood; the young Lord put on a hard scowl as he spun around in place and smashed his right roundhouse directly into the Archer's armoured chest. With Aegir powering his strike, the poor soldier was sent flying backward, sprawling and rolling across the concrete floor that the fort allowed, his own blood sailing after him.

"Aegir Art; Cyclone Smash!"

Selthris snapped his eyes and head behind himself; as expected, the descending Leo and Edgar, Wind and Earth Quintessence driving their weapons. Their combined might easily toppled not only the two simple foot-soldiers on watch, seemingly killing them instantly, but smashing the gate hard enough to open it up. Selthris couldn't help but stick on another confident smirk atop his expression as he watched his previously thought on plan coming to fruition. His mind couldn't help but wander back to his disappointed father and sister both.

"If only you both could see me now." The Lord grinned to himself. Hauling him out of his thoughts however, his silver eyes both widened as he quickly sensed an approach; swerving his body to the side, he narrowly avoided a roaring Soldier's clumsy but deft stab forward before spin kicking the Soldier across the back of his helmeted head, sending him grunting and stumbling further forward. Selthris leapt forward but found himself at the end of an armoured soldier's axe; utilising his great Aegir control and greatest statistic, he grunted once as he swerved his body around to the right, easily avoiding the Armour Knight's vertical strike. With a sweep however as he passed the man, he managed to catch the soldier off guard and sent him off his feet before finishing his combo with a yelling, Aegir infused slash. The Armour Knight roared, seemingly in surprised pain from the counterattack, sending him loudly tumbling across the hard floor. With barely another second to recover in time however and far in enemy lines, Selthris' silvery eyes enlarged in shock once more as a narrow-eyed woman approach, Killing Edge in hand. Acting fast, Selthris brought his own unique sword diagonally up and with both hands managed to block the yelling woman's diagonal slash attack. The two were left glaring at one another behind the sparks of their respective weapons, struggling intensely as they did so. In the clash, Selthris quickly realised her class as a Swordfighter and her obvious age difference, perhaps ten years older.

Already she was dangerous.

With a narrow-eyed growl, Selthris swept the legs; the unnamed woman exclaimed in surprise as she stumbled, allowing Selthris to break her offence. He pressed his luck by yelling as he drew his sword roughly across the air in an attempt to injure and perhaps kill her however, before he could, the Soldier he had kicked mere moments before re-appeared faster than he'd have liked and placed himself in between them. Selthris' eyes widened but he was unable to draw his offence back, watching him crash noisily against the Soldier's raised, narrow-eyed shield. The woman watched him, behind her soldier's defences, similarly surprised. The Soldier broke the moment however with a deft push forward, sending the growling Selthris stumbling backward; he seemingly attempted to finish the fight with a deep lunge forward. The silver haired youth however spun jump upward as he stumbled back, successfully landing on the steel lance he wielded. The Soldier gasped, watching him with further astonishment; Selthris growled as he side-somersaulted off of the man's weapon, leaving him a final diagonal air slash as he did so. Thankfully however, for the Soldier, he managed to defend the slash in time with a deft raise of his shield.

As Selthris landed on one knee, his dominant sword arm outstretched to his far right and his left resting at his side, clenched in a fist he glared forward at his current odds. The Armour Knight twirled his iron axe around his plated arm as he approached his other two comrades; the hard-eyed, steel lance wielding Soldier and the scowling faced Swordfighter brandishing her Killing Edge. The Armour Knight and Soldier both stood at her sides, indicating their loyalty toward her. Selthris' hard silver eyes shot between the pair in quick thought before finally resting on the similarly glowering unnamed Swordfighter.

"Are you the enemy commander?" The Lord called over, a hard-eyed glare to his words.

The Swordfighter seemed to exchange a few looks with her two comrades before finally answering him. "One of them," she hollered over the deafening sounds of battle. "Rouka." She seemingly introduced, shaking her hair of any falling snowflakes.

"Selthris!" The Vikeruce heir clamoured back, raising his head to ensure his volume back. "Why don't you just surrender?" He requested loudly. "If you and your commanders were to lay down arms then-" He began before flinching and narrowing his eyes forward, quickly noticing the change to her face. She lowered it, seemingly shaking in hilarity. "What's so funny?" He demanded.

"It's gone on too long for any of us to surrender," she simply replied with, re-raising her head with a light grin attached. Selthris put on a light frown in response as he listened further. "You wouldn't happen... to be attached to house Vikeruce... would you not?"

Selthris stared at her suspiciously before finally opting to nod. "Yes," he called loudly before continuing. "What's left of it."

"It would seem like fate!" The Swordfighter called back in response, laughing aloud. "Then we must clash!" She continued, grinning forward. "I must know how the son of the legendary Aselian dragon would fight!"

Selthris' low frown twitched in annoyance as he listened to her reference his father.

Sometimes he was sick of living in his shadow.

All the more reason to fight his way out of it he supposed... even if he abhorred confrontation.

"Fine." Selthris finally acquiesced in a low mutter, annoyed as he spoke. Even through the deafening sounds above them, Rouka seemingly heard the boy speak, grinning as she twirled her Killing Edge around her hands. The Soldier and Armour Knight at her sides gripped their weapons tightly before taking off forward in seeming pursuit of the youth, leaving their commander behind them. Selthris' silver eyes narrowed forward hard at the approaching pair; the Soldier first with his broad diagonal-horizontal slice. The young Lord quickly deduced their attempt to force him to evade; he opted to deny them entirely. Utilising his sword he challenged the wide-eyed Soldier's rough slice with a firm block to his right. Sensing his next opponent rushing him from his similar right he forced the gasping Soldier's steel lance downward into the hard ground below them before bounding up on top of it. The Armour Knight gave vent to a deep war cry as he spun around in his lunge forward; a diagonal slice of his own. Selthris bounded off of the Soldier's steel lance and narrowed his eyes down at the approaching Armour Knight; he stopped himself in mid-air and, with the aid of his Quintessence, drew in power, pulling his limbs back into himself. Just as the nameless Armour Knight's strike came however Selthris finally gave vent to his proud bellow, expelling forth the very Aegir he collected. The Armour Knight gasped in pure surprise, sending him yelling and tumbling back the way he came, the opposite direction his Soldier comrade was also sent sailing.

Rouka leapt up and ran briefly across the sailing and rolling armoured warrior's body before shooting off forward, seemingly in pursuit of the recovering Selthris herself. The silvery haired youth's eyebrows rose with his eyes widening as he caught the sight of the exclaiming Rouka's diving vertical slash. As he landed to the firm ground he swerved his body to his left, successfully avoiding the quick slice before suddenly spinning around in a horizontal counterattack. The Etherthien Swordfighter however was quicker than she seemingly let on; she easily spun around in defence, blocking the narrow-eyed Selthris' horizontal slice. The two were left glaring at one another before the previously absent Soldier's lance thrust itself into the fray, forcing them apart; Selthris and Rouka pushed against one another's blades, sending them skidding backward in the snow covered tops of Fort Chiribald. Before he could have any time to successfully recover however a fast descending shadow made him snap his head up to find the contrastingly recovered Armour Knight plummeting down, presumably to rend him asunder. With a simple leaning of his body backward, he managed to narrowly avoid the deafeningly loud crash of his enemy's plunging attack. The strike was strong enough to spit up many slabs of concrete, seemingly infused with Aegir; Selthris exchanged an initially satisfied smirk with the Armour Knight's hard glare before yelling as he expelled another blast of his Aegir. This time, though it was weaker, it was enough to send the defending Armour Knight skidding back the way he came.

The Soldier roared as he similarly descended roughly, seemingly in an attempt to take the boy off guard; Selthris' eyes snapped upward, and he grunted as he bounded forward in an evasive roll, avoiding the man's deft stab attack. As he recovered forward however Rouka waited for him with a grinning clothesline slash; Selthris brought his sword up diagonally to block the attack, spinning before countering with a roundhouse kick. Rouka gasped as she was struck by the boy's well placed attack, sending her tumbling and sprawling across the ground; she side-flipped in recovery as she was however. The Vikeruce heir's eyes widened as he quickly heard the fast approaching, tell-tale sound of wind Aegir and its loud whistle; the Soldier behind him rushed him with a series of stab, horizontal and diagonal slash attacks. He rotated around to meet the approaching man with a lightning infused weapon of his own; their attacks collided and the very castle itself shook from the intensity their Aegir affinities offered. Even as they glared at one another in their struggle, Selthris acted quickly and swept the armoured man's legs, causing him to stumble as before and lose his footing; the silvery haired Lord pushed his lightning sword against his opponent's wind lance and caused him to further stumble before yelling as he brought his electrical blade down over the man's undefended head.

"Lightning Style; Lightning Cleave!" Selthris roared above the din of combat before dragging his chirping weapon across the man's helmeted head; it sunk through easily and passed through his body, wounding him greatly. The Soldier let out a roar of pain as he was sent stumbling back once more, seemingly finally finished off; he twirled around in place, dropping his steel lance and shield as part of his skin, blood and even armour fell with them. Gasping in effort, Selthris was in no way prepared for the tossed iron axe coming his way; his silvery eyes widened as he caught it sailing toward his position from his right. Though he was fatigued from his earlier attack he moved his body at just the right moment, barely able to take a graze from the flying iron axe, grunting in effort and pain as he spin-stumbled backward in recovery; he quickly caught the fast approaching Rouka to his similar right. With little to no energy left from his earlier attack however he was left to raise up his sword in an attempt at defence; he managed to barely block the oncoming charge that the grinning Rouka initiated. The pair skid across the ground and Selthris growled in his scowl as he exchanged a hard eye with the watching Swordfighter ahead of him.

Completely taking him off guard however, with or without his defence, the roaring Armour Knight bounded forward and plummeted down toward their position, plated arm held back presumably to attack with. Widened eyes and all, Selthris snapped his head up to find the man dropping down for him; the grinning Rouka pushed at his blade, forcing him to stumble backward and almost lose his footing. The young Lord spun around in his stumbling before raising his two arms upward and crossed them, seemingly charging his very Aegir. All at once however, the Armour Knight smashed hard with the similarly narrow-eyed Selthris and the two struggled with one another for a few seconds. Sparks of Aegir concentration flew from their engagement before, finally, the Armour Knight plunged yet more Quintessence into his attack. Selthris' silver eyes widened, and he gasped once before the Armour Knight's hard punch infiltrated his Aegir's defence. His own crossed formation arms broke apart by force and the Armour Knight laughed as he smashed his Quintessence encrusted fist into the wide-eyed boy's face. The two stood, transfixed in their own expressions; the Armour Knight's delighted grin and Selthris' shocked wide-eyed frown.

Time eventually regained its flow and the wide-eyed youth was sent careering into one of the larger crow's nests hanging around the top of Fort Chiribald, spitting up rocks, snow and granite. As the Armour Knight landed, he exchanged a satisfied grin with the approaching Rouka before, suddenly, their delight was cut short. The area their opponent was blown to suddenly exploded in a massive firework show of Quintessence, snow and stone; Selthris stood in the middle of the huge fiery blue Aegir aura he produced, eating away at the falling snowflakes that dared to come near him. Wielding not only the sword he brandished before, he twirled the Armour Knight's previously thrown Iron Axe along his left arm, now dual wielding. He whirled the pair of blades around his hands before glaring forward, face scowling as always. The small trickle of blood falling at left end of the side of his mouth gave him away however. Rouka couldn't help but laughing aloud as she spied it; the single crack in the boy's defence.

"So, you are human after all!" The Swordfighter laughed as she watched the hard look upon his face. The Armour Knight smirked with her, taking a few patient steps toward her side before finally taking out another weapon; a steel axe from the confines of his armour. "You Vikeruce certainly are impressive!"

Selthris opted not to respond, vocally anyway. He glared back with narrowed eyes before, suddenly, disappearing from sight his Aegir aura leaving with him too. The watching Rouka widened her eyes in sudden surprise before gasping as she spun around to counter his superfast sword slice, blocking it with a grunting scowl of her own.

He had grown stronger.

Was he holding back before?

She wondered.

Selthris had little more time to continue however; the Armour Knight roared in war cry as he bounded forward with his steel axe, swiping it against the air angrily. Selthris broke his contact with Rouka's and twirled around, back the way he came before using his iron axe to swipe diagonally downward; catching the wide-eyed knight's own blade and successfully pinning him. Using it as a foothold, the youth grunted as he bounded upward, and roundhouse kicked the yelling Armour Knight across the helmet sending him tumbling and rolling across the ground. Just as before, Rouka leapt up above and across him, grinning before suddenly flipping forward in an offence of her own; her body spun countlessly before she finally clashed with the narrow-eyed Aselian swordsman. Selthris spun around in place to begin a round of fast defence swipes, being pushed back as he did so. When she finally landed however she attempted to continue her offence with quick slices of her own, spinning around as she forced the boy further back with her fast attacks. As they approached the end of the fort's length however, looking directly over the rest of the engaged Aselian and Etherthien force, they stopped similarly; locked in a weapon struggle. Selthris turned his eye downward to find Leo, Edgar and his other companions fighting the Rebel Alliance's soldiers below him before snapping his head back up to find Rouka smirking back at him; pushing her Killing Edge against his iron axe.

"Checkmate!" She hissed before giving one final push. Selthris grunted as he was sent back; he opted to turn it into a recovering backflip before, suddenly, disappearing from view. Rouka, perhaps shocked at how easy it was, gasped before leaping forward to look overhead. When she found a dropping huge rock with two others she blinked in pure surprise.

How...?

Her eyes widened when she heard the tell-tale sound of a sword singing to her left; she realised the game he pulled.

"Impressive!" She exclaimed again, turning her scowl on the similarly hard-faced Selthris, his iron axe held overhead. Even with the weapon advantage, Rouka grunted in struggling to overturn her opponent's strength; thankfully however for her, the roaring Armour Knight forced the wide-eyed Selthris to leap up in avoiding the man's wide and broad steel axe swipe. She grinned initially when she realised her number advantage balancing out her opponent's possible skill however widened them once more in horror when she realised his plan. "No!" She called out; the Armour Knight, committed to his attack, also gasped as he realised his swipe. Though intended for the evading Aselian, he had managed to smash his axe against his commander's sword, forcing them into an unfavourable defensive situation. Seemingly dropping from the sky itself, Selthris let out another exclamation of effort as he channelled his Aegir to the iron axe he liberated from his opponent, smashing it down upon the bellowing Armour Knight's helmeted, undefended head.

"Lightning Style; Lightning Arrowhead!"

With Selthris' proclamation came the promised blow to come; easily eating through the armour the man wore. It sunk through and even pushed past some flesh the man contained, widening his eyes in a mix of intense pain and disturbance.

"No!" Rouka called angrily as she watched her opponent roundhouse kick the armoured man, sending his now lifeless body sprawling across the snowy ground. Though sweating from the exert his new techniques gave to him, Selthris turned his hard scowl on the wide-eyed Rouka before yelling as he spun his sword around in an attempt to finish her off also. The Swordfighter opted to backflip in recovery and evasion however, landing a few yards back from her enemy. As she landed the older warrior exchanged another hated black look with her opponent; as Selthris watched her, he frowned before abjectly tossing the iron axe he once wielded. It clattered to the fort's ground noisily, seemingly needing it no more. The two watched each other for another couple more seconds before, finally, she opened her mouth to speak.

"How?" She called over; Selthris merely glared back at her wordlessly. "All three of us?"

"You made your choice," he shot back loud enough for her to hear. Her eyes widened as she listened. His eyes narrowed further as he continued. "The second you chose retaliation you sealed those men's fate."

"How dare you... speak of them..."

"This is the life of a soldier," Selthris shot back suddenly, glaring as ever. "If you can't take it..."

"Pure luck!" Rouka interrupted angrily, swiping at the air as she did so. Selthris' scowl twitched as he listened. "You would never have beaten us otherwise!"

"There's no such thing as luck on the battlefield," the young Lord intoned outward, perhaps speaking from memory. A small grin suddenly adorned his reddened cheeks as he thought of his father. "You make your own destiny."

"Rgh!" The listening Swordfighter grunted back angrily before she swiped her Killing Edge harmlessly across the air. "I will avenge my men!"

"Come and take it then... if you can." Selthris merely shot back, a harder frown adorned on his expression this time. The pair stared at one another, the wind blowing their hair and battle clothes roughly.

Finally however, as if roused to action, the hard glaring Rouka leapt forward her Aegir burning fiercely to match her flaring anger. She twirled her sword around as she watched her opponent's own Quintessence climb up, perhaps in response to hers. Finally the pair clashed once more in a show of fiery sparks and sparkles of their weapons and Aegir. Selthris blocked the woman's initial overhead before spinning backward from her relentless offence, shooting his sword across the air in defence. When he saw the angry woman's blood boil along with her Aegir and the green glow in her body his eyes widened.

She couldn't... could she...?

The passionate Swordfighter let loose a deafening war cry; her skill activated, and she moved on forward with it. Selthris' eyes widened; he was in trouble.

Starlight Sword!

Perhaps reacting to the heightened emotions she was experiencing, the Swordfighter shot her Killing Edge wildly at him in an insanely fast series of swipes, slices and strikes, sending the wide-eyed swordsman spinning back. Eventually, the pure ferocity of her offence forced the youth onto his knees and he gasped as she pressed him further down, slamming her sword down into his raised one mercilessly. Selthris grunted, one of his eyes shut in a mixture of growing fatigue and concern.

If this continued for much longer...

The young Lord's unique sword was finally sent clattering from his hand and he yelped in pain as she sliced his hand in doing so. The sword clattered noisily to the ground, rolling across the ground and he gasped on after it before snapping his silvery eyes upward to find the hard-eyed Swordfighter plummeting her Killing Edge down for him. His mind thinking for him, he outstretched his right arm and utilised his Aegir to pull in the fallen iron axe he had thrown away previously; it ghosted to his right hand quickly enough for him to yell as he sunk the weapon clumsily into her left leg. She called out loudly in pain before dropping to one knee; utilising the rest of his Quintessence he sent his lightning infused fist into her face, having grown closer to him. Her eyes widened and Rouka was sent rolling across the air before crashing and careering across the ground in pain. Selthris grunted as he leapt to his feet.

Had to finish the job!

Wielding the simple iron axe he wore around his hand he bounded on after her and let out a yell as he plummeted for her; she managed to raise her Killing Edge up horizontally and blocked the boy's assassination attempt. The two, losing strength quickly began to merely exchange hated glances between the show of sparks as they lay there amongst the rest of the battling group. Widening his eyes Selthris reached into further reserves of Aegir, the very last of what he had, to successfully push through the gasping Rouka's defence. His lightning covered iron axe managed to overcome the weapon disadvantage and the pair exchanged a long, panic infused yell together as his axe broke her very weapon. With the use of lightning it managed to break through her defence before suddenly sinking into her lower abdomen. Finally, the pair stopped moving and Selthris was left staring back at the frowning and wide-eyed Rouka's horrified eyes. The two lay there together for what felt like an eternity before Selthris finally opened his mouth to respond.

"You were... very strong... general Rouka." He said softly, frowning back at her. No hatred was evident in his tone and he suddenly yanked the axe out of her stomach, causing her to gasp and gurgle in pain. The blood shot out of her roughly, staining the ground further in her life's juice; Selthris tossed the iron axe he brandished for the final time, clattering to the ground as noisily as it had the first time. He frowned as he strode on over to his fallen sword; he bent down to pick it up and examined it. Just as before it contained the words inscribed by his father.

No Mercy

As he turned to give his fallen opponent one more look, he exchanged his hard-eyed frown with the hurt expressed one on Rouka's, having turned to face him. Finally, he turned to walk away, reaching into his clothes for a food pill.

\--

"Looks as if the water attack is a success," Leo murmured, more to himself than to anyone else as he walked through the next large corridor in the fort they had previously invaded. Kay, having previously left her mount to enter the small castle, walked alongside the Mercenary and turned her eyes across the strangely absent area. "You see what I see?"

The blonde turned her eyes down to him to on her companion, surprised. "I doubt it; what are you seein'?"

"Nothing," Leo chuckled in response, turning his grin on the older warrior next to him before turning back to face the uneventful castle. "Well, nothing since we broke their defence."

"Do not drop your own defence," George grunted as he pulled his iron sword out from one of the rebel soldier's wounds, turning to join his comrades. "After all our lord is alone up there; we should get to him as soon as possible."

"Oh, he'll be fine," Kay grinned from her side as she twirled her own iron sword around her wrist expertly. "He's the boss' son after all."

"Doesn't necessarily mean he'll be fine," Edgar's voice interrupted; the group of three turned to find the ever-frowning Axe Fighter approaching, shaking his iron axe to rid it of the blood that had gathered on the blade. "I agree with George; I don't see him holding out too long."

"You should both calm down," Leo offered in his own frown before turning back with a light grin. "Sir Ivan did just make him that much stronger if I recall correctly."

"Sir Ivan? Etherthien's White Hurricane?"

The foreign voice made the now quad group snap their eyes around in searching; further down the corridor stood a man in similar armour; bright, white purple. Clearly of the Rebel Alliance. Leo narrowed his eyes forward before unsheathing his Hero Sword, glaring down the hallway at him. "Who are you?" He demanded forward, his voice bouncing off the walls.

"The name's Lachlan," the similar classed Mercenary called back down the hallway, putting on a low grin as he spoke from within the darkness. "General Lachlan of the Etherthien Rebel Alliance."

"General?" Kay parroted in a low murmur as she narrowed her eyes forward at him. "Does that mean he's-?"

"Yes, I imagine so," George concurred with in a positive nod of his own as he frowned forward. "He will most definitely be one of their higher ups."

"What's your name?"

The Aselian Mercenary narrowed his eyes suspiciously in response before exchanging a look with the rest of his companions. He opened his mouth to respond when he had finished, turning his eyes back on the single man. "Leo."

"Leo...," Lachlan murmured in response, seemingly pondering as he took a few hesitant steps forward. Stepping into the light that the sconces offered, the group were allowed a more detailed look at him. "Clearly our force's morale is at all time low... so..."

"So...?"

"So how about it?" Lachlan asked, raising a seemingly amused eyebrow upward. "A duel between two men of similar skill. With the rest of our force demoralised and further beaten I'm sure there is hardly any need for you all to abstain me."

Leo turned his suspicious glances again on his unsure comrades, drawing similarly indecisive expressions from them. Having received his response, Leo turned back to frown hard at the older fighter ahead of him and nodded.

"All right, you got yourself a deal," the Mercenary agreed with in his nod, eliciting a light grin from the listening Lachlan. Leo's eyes swiftly narrowed however as he continued. "But we do this on the up and up; I'm takin' you in alive, deal?"

"Of course," the similarly classed Mercenary smiled back in response as he bowed respectfully, perhaps in honouring of his younger opponent's words. "To do anything less would be dishonourable."

Though Leo opted to remain quiet in reply, he narrowed his eyes forward before finally re-opening his mouth. "We'll see." He simply stated dryly before twirling the Hero Sword around his fingers expertly.

4

Lachlan, it appeared, opted to start the fight off with a sudden dash forward, his iron blade held back. Though Leo bent his body around to brace for the impact he was near unable to prepare in time; his opponent's speed was simply that much quicker than he had anticipated. Leo grunted in full effort as he clashed hard with the grinning faced Lachlan, their swords clanging against one another as they passed. One of Leo's brown eyes shut hard, an unnatural frigid wind blowing from his opponent's attack.

Perhaps his Aegir affinity?

Regardless his silent questions were answered as soon as they formed however; seemingly as if from no-where he received a single graze across his left cheek. He re-opened his shut eye and they both snapped down to his minor wound, widening in shock. He swivelled his head around to stare, stunned at the man's display of strength. It would appear his enemy suddenly turned transparent however and Leo's eyes narrowed suspiciously back at him, quickly attempting to work out what was coming next. His eyes widened for the second time as he suddenly realised the man's tactic.

An afterimage!

"Hya!"

From his nearly undefended front came the charging Lachlan, once more, his tactic almost paying off. Leo brought his Hero Sword up diagonally to block the man's own hard diagonal swipe expertly and they clashed once more. They stood in the dull chill of the inside of the fort, glaring at one another in similar suspicion. Leo took advantage of his weapon's advantage of extra strikes however and pushed against the gasping Mercenary, sending him stumbling a few steps forward; he pressed his luck further by blitzing forward with an Aegir charged attack of his own. His wind element affinity encased his light weapon and he brought it down with a commanding yell to match his sudden increase of power. Lachlan gasped as his eyes shot up to glare at the weapon worriedly; his guard having been broken beforehand, it would seem he had no choice but to endure the incoming attack. The attack struck true and Leo sliced his sword into the man's armoured torso; the infused wind Aegir tore mercilessly at his defence and he gave forth to a seemingly pained yell. Though Leo's attack seemed only to be a simple one slice strike, the wind element he had infused it with added lots of additional pressure; the Wind Style Aegir itself procured many microscopic blades of air. Almost as if paying his opponent back, Leo couldn't help but give way his formerly frowning expression to a confident and satisfied grin as he watched the fruits of his hard-trained technique.

Lachlan rolled through the air in pain, his face, armour and presumably the rest of his body suffering from the many wind element cuts he had received earlier; the Mercenary landed unfavourably, skidding across the hard cement roughly. His eyes widened however, and he gave vent to a loud grunt as he used his left hand to side flip expertly, landing on one knee in recovery as he did so. He gave vent to a few gasps of effort and, presumably pain, as he turned his grazed and cut scowl on the watching and contrastingly grinning Leo.

"That was impressive!" Kay exclaimed from the side-lines as she watched with growing vigour and enthusiasm. "I think Leo might be stronger 'n Sel by now!"

"Lord Selthris, Kay," George shot back in sudden response; the dark-blonde Cavalier blinked as she turned to face her younger brother quizzically. When he saw her unsure expression he sighed, his eyes shutting briefly in clear display of his weariness. "Please refer to him as Lord Selthris, Kay."

"Oh," the unmounted youth chuckled in response, her own eyes briefly shut however in good natured humour. "Sorry." She apologised as ever, rubbing the back of her ponytailed head sheepishly.

"I'd stake my gold on that," Edgar suddenly interrupted however; the pair turned to face him, similarly surprised. His arms were folded, and he narrowed his eyes forward seemingly examining before continuing. "Look as if our fearless leader uses more speed in his attack style; our other friend's different. He relies more on strength."

"Would ya look at that," Kay murmured in response before turning her initially surprised frown into a low grin. "Man knows his stuff!" The Cavalier grinned, similarly knowingly.

"Well, I certainly can't argue with that," George replied in a simple, good natured chuckle. "Let's see how the rest of this turns out."

Almost as if reacting to his words on the side lines, Lachlan let out a low growl as he forced himself up from his knelt position and charged forward for his watching opponent. Instilling his large weapon with his wind affinity Quintessence, perhaps for extra offensive effect, he growled once more as he ripped the blade diagonally downwards with both arms toward his enemy. Leo's brown eyes narrowed up at it and he swerved his body to the left, narrowly avoiding the attack. Even as he did though, Lachlan couldn't help but grin and put on a light chuckle with the change to his facial expression; the Aselian Mercenary raised a curious eyebrow at his opponent's strange sense of humour before widening his eyes as he realised. The Quintessence that hummed loudly from the man's iron blade broke off and splintered towards him, eliciting a wide-eyed frown from the youth. He brought up his Hero Sword and blocked countless tiny blades of wind Aegir that smashed against him. He couldn't block all the attacks though; some still got through, more toward his lower body. His raised knee and legs especially were assaulted by the microscopic blades of air; he grunted from the pain as he was sent skidding just a few yards back the way.

Seemingly with further Quintessence powering his iron blade, Lachlan put on another grin as he turned towards the young man's direction and charged forth once more weapon in hand. He brought the larger sword down and, this time, Leo opted to stand his ground; raising his Hero Sword upward he blocked the lumbering attack but grunted in effort from doing so. With Lachlan's older body, strength was seemingly his advantage and he grinned further as he forced his opponent down on one knee. One of Leo's brown eyes shut in the pure effort he exerted before widening as he realised the Aegir humming once more in his iron blade.

"W-What?!" He exclaimed, shocked. Lachlan chuckled lowly once as he pressed both his arms weight into the weapon before replying.

"This is Etherthien's true sword art!" He exclaimed loudly, his hard voice reverberating across the similarly solid walls of Fort Chiribald. "This is what's called 'Quintessence Transfer'!"

"Quintessence Transfer...?" Kay murmured as she watched, entranced by the wind element encasing her enemy's blade. "Isn't that just moving your Aegir into the weapon?" She called over, loudly this time seemingly in reply. The Rebel Alliance's general shot his eyes up to regard the curious faced Cavalier before he grinned as he snapped them back down to glare at his younger opponent.

"Not exactly!" The Etherthien swordsman shot back with in his strong grin. "We concentrate our Quintessence into the sword; it becomes a very part of our own body!" He further explained with a victorious cackle. Leo's eyes widened once more as he listened, drawing information.

"That Aegir always active then...," Edgar murmured lowly as he also listened, arms folded from his position next to the spectating Aselian unit. "Pretty costly."

"W-What does that mean?" Kay asked unsurely, turning her head around in expect of an answer. "What's he talking about?"

"He's saying that his Aegir is constantly being put into that sword," George explained briefly for his older sister, albeit with a lightly exasperated sigh. Kay raised a curious blonde eyebrow upwards as she listened. "However, it looks as if he's found a way to recycle his Aegir; he's not simply consuming it, not all of it anyway."

"He's recycling it?" Edgar murmured lowly as he narrowed his eyes forward, unsure. "Are you certain? I didn't realise that was even possible."

"Me either."

The group of three Aselian knights turned their heads around to find another similar group; led by the hard-expressed Ulric and his task force, consisting of himself, Sabine, Gerard and Gorlin. Seemingly having been answered by the frowning and folded armed Sabine trailing alongside the crew he worked with, George opted to reply to him.

"How did the operation go?" The Cavalier asked, raising a bright blonde eyebrow upwards. Sabine merely turned to the youth and shrugged uncaringly, eliciting the disapproving Ulric to speak up.

"Yes, it went well thank you George," the Paladin responded simply in his business-like frown. "The fort has either been cleared out forcibly or evacuated."

"I know Sel didn't wanna do that, but it was necessary, wasn't it?" Kay spoke up in response with a light wince as she turned to face her brother and mentor.

"Lord Selthris-"

"I know, I know," Kay chuckled good naturedly as she rolled her eyes in a low grin. "Don't have to keep reminding me."

"Mm, yes," Ulric replied, nodding his head as he walked toward the group, followed by his own small group of warriors. "How is Lord Selthris doing anyway?"

"Not sure," the usually quiet Edgar chimed in, turning his own folded armed frown over to the veteran officer, tilting his head to his left as he did so. "We've been so focused on this floor we haven't really noticed much above."

"I imagine he'll be fine," Gerard spoke up in a light smile of his own as he joined them. "Since Sir Ivan's been teaching him he's become much stronger."

"Oh yeah!" Kay exclaimed excitedly as she put on a grin, 'rounding on the smiling Armour Knight as she did. "Maybe I misjudged then?"

Her younger brother raised a blonde eyebrow. "Misjudged what?"

"How strong they both are!" The older Cavalier grinned back as she turned her head to the fight once more, her eyes remaining on him as she clenched a fist in display of her growing excitement. "Maybe Lord Sel has finally caught up with Leo!"

"It's definitely possible," Gorlin answered for the young woman as he grinned in the conversation, his own arms folded. "Talkin' about the kid that survived my Coremond Seven Swords style." The large man spoke in his own proud smirk.

"Won't matter... if they can't win here today," Sabine answered lowly for the lumbering swordsman next to him as he walked alongside him, arm resting on his hip as he did so. "It'll all have been for nothing."

\--

"Aegir Transfer, huh...?" Leo murmured as he watched the large iron blade in his opponent's hands hum away noisily.

You let yourself get hit by that directly and that's it, he thought to himself worriedly.

"Call it what you want; it's spelling your demise kid," Lachlan answered for him with a grin, tilting his head as he did. "I'm too old for you young 'uns to even consider fighting against," he chuckled onwards before suddenly morphing his confident smirk into a low scowl. "Give up."

This time, however, it was Leo's turn to grin and he simply shook his head in response. "Don't think so." He simply answered with.

"What...?" Lachlan murmured incredulously.

"As resilient as stone and as quick as lightning; that's the Aselian knight's motto!" The younger Mercenary shot back confidently as he twirled his Hero Sword, similarly confidently. Lachlan stared at the younger male with the same strange sense of shock and bewilderment as before.

"Tch...," he merely muttered under his breath, shaking his head before suddenly bowing his head back and shooting off forward. "Let's see you say the same after this!"

Even as he exclaimed the words from his mouth, the wind Quintessence being transferred to his blade seemed to dissipate; though Leo noticed he had little time to prepare for the incoming switch to the man's attack. He raised up his sword this time to block and Lachlan laughed as he noticed him.

"Predictable!" The Etherthien swordsman howled in laughter victoriously as he shot towards his opponent. "You've just thrown it all away! Dreams don't come true when you're dead!"

While he spoke his words, Leo's chestnut eyes quickly narrowed at the sudden blue glow the iron blade in his hands gave off.

What was...?

It couldn't be...?!

"Oh no!" Leo hissed out fearfully as he watched the attack incoming, seemingly committed to a defending stance anyway.

"Oh yes!" Lachlan laughed as he rushed the younger Mercenary, holding his dark-blue glowing iron blade upwards before tossing it down with an effort filled roar. "Aegir Art; Darkmoon Blade!"

DROOM

Just as Lachlan had seemingly predicted, his Quintessence filled broadsword completely bypassed Leo's defences and sliced through his Hero Sword, breaking it. Lachlan's eyes widened in actual shock as he watched his attack break his defence and slice the younger fighter in two. Leo's own eyes shot wide open in a similarly shocked expression, his two roughly sliced halves slowly dropping to the ground. The watching Aselian group all gasped in their spectating; all save for the watching Ulric. He put on a small smirk as he watched.

"No!" Kay exclaimed before 'rounding her scowl on the similarly bewildered Lachlan. She reached for her weapon once more before she was grabbed by the grunting Ulric.

"No, Kay!" The veteran Aselian officer grunted as he grabbed his sub-ordinate by her arms, pulling her back from charging into the fray.

"B-But look, Ulric-sensei!" The angry Cavalier exclaimed as she struggled under his grip, turning her head half-way to face him. "He's going to-"

"That kid's fine," Gorlin spoke up with a low grin of his own, his arms still folded. The rest of the group turned to face him; bar the frowning Ulric, everyone else stared with surprised frowns of their own. "Watch and see." The Coremondian swordsman grinned on as he nodded his head forward.

Just as Gorlin had seemingly previously predicted, the blood covered and halved form of Leo suddenly disappeared along with the crimson fluid that Lachlan had extracted.

"What?!" The Rebel Alliance's general called out angrily and perplexed; small droplets of sweat dropped from his forehead as his eyes darted around in frantic search for his missing opponent.

"Too late!"

Lachlan gasped and with that gasp he snapped his head around to find the young swordsman rushing him from his undefended rear, Hero Sword still in tow. Lachlan's earlier scowl grew in tempo with the fast approaching Mercenary and the two began a seemingly long and elongated yell of fear and effort respectively.

"Aegir Art!" Leo exclaimed out before twirling his Hero Sword and widening his eyes; his wind affinity powering his blade as harshly as his enemy's previously. "Hurricane Volley!"

The Aselian Mercenary shot by the defenceless Etherthien warrior and as Leo finally halted in his seemingly super-fast charge, time seemed to halt with him. Leo stood, his hard-frowning gaze transfixed neutrally ahead of him and Lachlan's widened eyed and fearful expression similarly stayed with him; he stood, unmoving from his spot, legs and arms stretched outward from his body. Finally, however, the man's large iron blade dropped and brought time back to its natural flow. As it clattered to the cement noisily, crimson coloured blood gradually leaked from the two sides of his mouth; his eyes rolled slowly to the back of his head and, decisively, Leo's attack was given full form. Seemingly catching up with its master, Leo's previous attacks struck the purple armoured man; multiple slashes and strikes of wind affinity Aegir mercilessly hacked and severed at the warrior's body. Unable to speak, the man merely floated in mid-air while his opponent's attack rent his defence asunder; the boy's Hero Sword glowed a deep jade green along with the visible Aegir slashes that destroyed the poor general's body. With an assured final slash across the man's neck, he gurgled out one last and seemingly pained cough before suddenly dropping to the ground directly next to his similarly plummeted iron blade. Time seemingly returning to him, Leo twirled his Hero Sword around as he stood himself up and straight, frowning as he turned back to face the fallen soldier.

"I'm sorry it had to go that way," Leo murmured out, seemingly in response to the fallen, silent rebel. His foggy, melancholic eyes watched him with a similarly sorrowful expression as he finished his sentence. "I'm sure you were a good man."

"That was amazing!"

The blinking Leo turned his quizzical frown on the interruption he heard and barely had time to avoid the running Kay crashing into him with a grinning hug. The wide-eyed Mercenary let out a shocked cough as she collided with him, easily knocking the wind out of the usually robust youth. He couldn't help but laugh as she slapped his back in a brotherly fashion.

"Kay..." George sighed as he approached in a few cautious steps forward, folding his arms as he stopped.

Even as she pulled back from the Mercenary, still grinning as ever, Leo backed her up with a similarly smirking chuckle.

"It's fine, it's fine," he laughed, ever the cheery one. "I don't mind."

"Well, you did splendidly regardless," Ulric spoke as he also approached, looking over the Aselian Mercenary with a hard-eyed frown, seemingly looking for their fallen Etherthien enemy. "Excellently done Leo." The Paladin smiled rarely as he nodded his eyes down to the youth, drawing a beaming grin from the young fighter.

"Thanks sir."

A loud and suggestive whistle made the group of fighters turn their heads; Gorlin walked over to the now deceased form of Lachlan and winced down at him before swivelling his head 'round to face the curious expressed Leo.

"You really put him through the ringer kid," the Coremondian veteran claimed with a light grin before quickly turning his eyes back down to view the fallen man. He seemingly couldn't help but cringe again however. "Ooft...," he murmured this time in his pained recoil. "Don't let me go out like that..." He muttered again, this time seemingly more to himself than to anyone else. Leo couldn't help but put on a light grin of his own as he listened, ostensibly satisfied with the older man's words.

"Where's our fearless leader?" Sabine spoke up however, calling the group's surprised attention once more. "I don't see him anywhere."

"S'not like you to worry," Kay teased in an eternal grin as she leaned in and ringed her armed arm 'round his shoulders, evoking an annoyed grimace from the older soldier. "What's the world comin' to?" She further pestered with a chuckling grin attached to her ever-mischievous expression.

"I'm not," the Archer quickly rectified for the younger trooper before re-raising his head and frowning back at her gloomily. "I'm just curious where he is; I'm allowed to be curious aren't I?" He asked, however, even in spite of the ever-business like frown he wore, the tone he adopted seemed to carry a hint of humour and the listening Kay couldn't help but grin back in response.

"He's been up there for a while...," Edgar tossed in, as productively as ever. The disciplined and diligent Axe Fighter raised his head upwards, seemingly directing his words toward the top of Fort Chiribald. He turned his eyes back down and frowned as he did so, turning back to the group as he did so. "We should probably head on up there."

"I agree," Gerard voiced his agreement with a visible nod, taking a few steps to join the group. "I don't feel comfortable leaving our lord alone up there."

"Well, shoot, let's get our lazy asses up there then!" Gorlin shot in with an ever-exuberant smirk adorned on his hard features; he nodded back the way and edged his thumb behind him to signify the direction. "He'll be happy to see us I bet!"

"Yeah...," Leo agreed lowly, turning his brown eyes down thoughtfully as he narrowed them. "Yeah, he will."

"Then it's agreed; come!" Ulric exclaimed loudly, marching forward almost immediately. "We move to the top to rendezvous with our lord!"

"Yes sir!" The grinning Kay and frowning George both intoned loudly for their mentor before following with the rest of the group. Leo's eyes remained on the ground for a second or two before he re-raised his head and jogged forward to catch up with the Aselian military.

He couldn't help but worry over his younger companion but always told himself he'd be fine.

He was Sathryon Vikeruce's son; there was no viable way he could have died up there, he thought.

At least, that's what Kay or Gorlin would probably have said.

But Leo knew better.

Having grown up with the boy since their very early childhood he knew the younger swordsman best and couldn't manage to dispel the niggling pin in his mind about the boy's hardiness and safety.

He gulped down a load of saliva before shaking his head of those concerns and resolved to find the youth.

Alive.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Surprise Attack on the Capital; Gallarus' Gamble!  
Expedition in Etherthien Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Behind the Clouds" – Black Lagoon OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"The King of Sadness" – Dynasty Warriors V OST. Scene 3 (Second Half) and 4 (First and Second Halves).  
"Superior" – Dynasty Warriors V OST. Scene 5 (First and Second Halves).  
"Honoris Causa" – Warriors Orochi OST. Scene 6 (First and Second Halves).  
"Moving Up" – Fire Emblem IX: Path of Radiance OST. Scene 7 (Second Half).

\--

Using a well planned and timed water attack strategy by turning their assault on the dam gates with a task force, the Aselian and Etherthien military have successfully managed to lay claim to Fort Chiribald, as per their instruction from the country's King Alaric. Having defeated the pair of enemy generals; the Mercenary Lachlan and the Swordfighter Rouka, the Aselian forces rest themselves at Fort Chiribald in high spirits and steep morale. Unfortunately, however this leaves them merely questioning the Rebel Forces' motives; why put their forces, however small, through a seemingly waste of time in conquering a strategically useless point of defence like Fort Chiribald? Even with the supplies and weaponry there Selthris and his military force can only wonder as they leave the fallen forms of the Rebel Alliance's presence, focusing now instead on freeing the prisoners in hopes of perhaps gaining information and increasing their own military strength even further.

In Naerith King Alpheus continues the strange custom he has imposed on his military forces earlier; by cutting the communication ties between himself and the rest of his armed forces, he has essentially hampered their otherwise effective pursuing tactics. While the Naerith Renegade Saints cannot hope to defy their king, they do question his choices; the Naerith king seemingly has only one channel of communication open, leaving them unsure and even suspicious of his motives. The famed Masked Man, leader of the Renegade Saints and object of Selthris' rage and anger, can only make mere assumptions of the man; not even he is given audience to the country's king.

Meanwhile in the capital of Etherthien itself, King Alaric readies the rest of his remaining own military forces as he receives sudden word that an alarming number of the Rebel Alliance are approaching; taking command on the frontlines themselves, Alaric steadies his nerves and attempts to calm his soldiers in preparation for the seemingly all knowing and genius tactician that is his enemy.

\--

Scene 1

"And what of the frontlines at Fort Chiribald?" Alaric questioned as he paced down castle Etherthien's hall with a hard frown, affixing the rest of his armour on his body. Two elite Halberdier bodyguards walked alongside him, eyes set hard forward. "What of the Aselian and Etherthien force we sent down there?"

"I'm afraid to say we're unsure my king," the dark-purple robed strategist claimed in response, shaking her head in a show of her negative answer. "We have yet to receive any word from those at Fort Chiribald."

"Damn," Etherthien's king muttered negatively, turning his vision forward and with a hard-eyed gaze. "How many are coming?" He questioned once more, turning his head around to his left as he marched forward. "Give it to me straight."

The short haired woman winced as she looked down at a paper she was carrying before looking up from it and answering him. "It looks to be the bulk of the Rebel Forces," she began before turning her eyes up at him and grimacing. "Perhaps around one-hundred thousand, my lord."

"Good god," Alaric gasped, snapping his head back 'round in a firm glare. "What is Gallarus thinking? Sending not only his own men to their deaths but mine!" He exclaimed as he marched down the corridor. He shook his head and shut his eyes with a low sigh however before turning his eyes back on his aide. "Send a messenger out on Pegasus to Fort Chiribald," he requested, and she widened her eyes before nodding, quickly using a quill dipped in her own Aegir to write on the parchment she carried. "We need Lord Selthris and the rest of our military back here as soon as possible."

"Yes, my king," she nodded, quickly scribbling down his instructions before re-raising her head as she stopped moving. "W-What about you?"

He also stopped, however momentarily, and turned to grin at her. "To show Gallarus how a true man of Etherthien fights."

With that, the wind nation's king turned back and continued marching on down the corridor, seemingly for the battlefield with his bodyguards in tow.

~

"I see you've brought out every remaining soldier you have for this," Cadil pointed out as they marched alongside together via horseback, ahead of the very hard marching bright-indigo dressed military. Gallarus turned his hard eye on his tactician and glared back at him as he continued. "Good," the Necromancer smiled his strange smile before narrowing one of them at the large armoured man he had managed to intimidate. "You will need them for this."

"You are certain I will take the capital today?" Gallarus questioned unsurely as he narrowed his own eyes at the smaller man.

"Of course," Cadil answered for him, his grin ever still strong on his expression. "I have predicted all of this faithfully, have I not?"

Gallarus mumbled something incoherent, opting to turn his eyes back forward toward the slow approaching capital and its castle.

He still remembered the last time he spoke out of turn with Cadil.

"Yes, absolutely nothing to worry about," the Necromancer began again in a low chuckle as he turned his own vision forward, seemingly charging his Aegir in a dull dark colour. It easily caught the listening Gallarus' attention and he gasped in growing terror as he turned to watch his benefactor. "What?" The tactician asked, a frown upon his face this time.

"W-Where are you going?" He asked, eyes widening. "Aren't you staying to see us through?"

"You are not a child, are you?" The older man asked, his tone laced with vexed impatience. "You do not need me holding your hand at every beck and call."

"B-But we need-"

"Follow the instructions I gave you," Cadil interrupted angrily though calmly. The listening Gallarus, though nodded, winced as he did so. "Even a trained monkey could eliminate what remains of Etherthien's pathetic military." He spat out impatiently, a hard frown adorned on his expression. Gallarus nodded, though not without a worried frown of his own.

"Y-Yes, of course," he answered in his positive nod. "I imagine we shall reconvene later?"

A side of Cadil's mouth rose up in a strange display of humour; he watched the Rebel Alliance's commander with very small but very visible grin as he responded. "Yes... of course we will." He finally answered before briefly shutting his eyes; the dark Aegir that encased his body gave off a final glow before it ghosted away, along with the rest of his body. It left the silent and frowning Gallarus watching, seemingly transfixed. Somehow, he could tell Cadil's true intentions through that grin of his...

And it frightened him.

Just like before.

Finally however, he turned his eyes back to the approaching castle and glared forward his destination and final assignment set. Regardless of how he felt, the fallen forms of his comrades at Fort Chiribald and even his own family were now counting on his efforts to save them from the very reaches of the abyss.

"All units!" Gallarus began loudly, his voice echoing out in the vast snow infested plains of Etherthien. "Attack!"

\--

2

Selthris kicked up another small stone in the fort he walked through, on another investigative walk. Seemingly discovered nothing else but some extra weaponry and yet more corpses of both the rebels and Etherthien regulars. He smiled wanly with melancholy; had it only been a few months ago he would have been shocked to discover such things.

It gets easier every day, he supposed.

"Yo, Sel!"

The silver haired youth snapped his head to his right to find his ever-loyal friend Leo poking his head out of a corridor. Selthris' similarly argent eyebrows shot up in surprise as he listened and awaited his next words. The brown-haired youth grinned at him.

"It's good news, I promise; come on." He urged, nodding his head back the way before disappearing into the corridor once more. Selthris' eyebrows descended back down, and he turned to follow his companion. 'Rounding the corner he eventually caught up with the walking Mercenary and frowned at his side, arms similarly next to him as he marched.

"What is it?" He questioned, turning his eyes temporarily ahead of himself perhaps to see where they were going to.

"Well," the youth responded first with a light grin, sociable as always. They pattered their feet down a quick, rotating staircase and Selthris narrowed his silver eyes, finding himself in a dank, dark dungeon. "We did what you asked and had a look around; it looks as if you were right."

"About?"

"The situation, keep up!" Leo chuckled in his usual grin as he faced the frowning Selthris. He turned his eyes and his head back forward as they continued forward through the gloomy dungeon. Far down he caught the outline of three shadows overlooking a jail cell, presumably his other companions. Selthris turned his silvery eyes back to his friend and listened intently as he also turned back to face him. "Just like you said, there wasn't much but...," he explained briefly as they approached. In the torch's light Selthris found the ever-grinning faces of Gorlin and Kay and the business-expressed folded armed George next to her. "We found a survivor."

As per his close confidant's words Selthris walked forward, allowed past his three other companions. He traced their stares to find them watching a silent shadow, huddled in the darkness of the jail cell they inhabited. Selthris watched it suspiciously before kneeling to their level and knocking against the cell's bars with his right knuckles.

"Show yourself." He demanded, though lightly as he narrowed his eyes forward in a suspicious fashion. The shadow stood up and took a few steps forward to walk into the torches' lights; a young woman, perhaps a little older than he. Her armoured arms folded and coloured a dark-purple to indicate her allegiance to the old military of Etherthien. Her shoulder length teal coloured hair was kept short, perhaps for combat purposes though well kept in the fitting stature of a knight. Selthris stood himself up and frowned back at the older knight, raising a curious silver eyebrow as he did so.

"No matter how much you bother me I will never join your force," the woman shot back angrily, spitting her words with a tone of venom. Selthris exchanged a surprised frown with the watching and shrugging Leo. "That is what you're here for isn't it?" She asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"Haven't you heard anything from up top?" Selthris simply threw out as he folded his own arms and tilted his head at her. She blinked at him, surprised. "I suppose noise wouldn't travel far down here, huh."

"What are you talking about?" The young woman asked curiously as she took another step forward, unfolding her arms. She grasped one of the bars as if in request and narrowed her eyes forward at the five Aselians ahead of her. "Aren't you part of the Rebel Alliance?"

Selthris shook his head, his ever-solid frown adorned on his facial expression. "No," he simply answered before continuing. "We're part of an Aselian force sent by your king to free Fort Chiribald of rebel soldiers," he explained briefly, and she widened her eyes in surprise. "Why are you down here?" The Lord asked rudely, raising another silvery eyebrow in curiosity.

"I was... put down here," she replied, lowering her hand grasping the bar. Her eyes lowered with her hand as she frowned. "When I refused to take part in the uprising."

Selthris exchanged another look with Leo but, this time, the two nodded at each other a frown and a light grin respectively. "What's your name?"

"H-Huh?" She merely responded with, blinking once again as she turned her eyes up to meet his. "U-Um... Tina."

"Tina...," Selthris parroted lowly in a thoughtful murmur before continuing. "Selthris."

"Wha-?"

"My name," the Lord shot back impatiently frowning at her, annoyed. He gestured toward his other companions. "Kay, George, Gorlin and Leo." He introduced quickly, gesturing to each smiling member.

"R-Right, so?"

"Weren't you listening?" Selthris sighed in further impatience, pinching the skin between his eyes in a show of frustration. He re-opened his eyes and frowned at her gloomily. "We can take you back to your military force in Etherthien if you really want."

"Oh!" Tina exclaimed, surprised. Her eyes widened with her exclamation before she narrowed her eyes at the boy suspiciously. "How are things on the battlefield?"

"Well so far, I suppose," Selthris simply answered with in a low sigh. "Unless we're about to receive some sad news...," he trailed off as he turned to exchange his hard frown with the chuckling grin on Kay and Gorlin's faces. George put on a light smile of his own and Leo joined in with his own chortle before Selthris finally turned his dense frown back on the recruit ahead of him. "Well, anyway, we'll keep you for a while if you want, maybe until we reach Etherthien," he explained briefly before turning to his comrades behind him. He edged his thumb toward the cell she stood in and nodded his spiky silver haired with it. "Get it open."

"U-Um yes I... I appreciate that," she murmured in response, lowering her eyes. However, she shot them back up in a sudden gasp. "W-What about my Pegasus?"

Selthris stopped moving abruptly, turning his head 'round half-way to meet hers and raised his eyebrow upward. "Your what?"

"My Pegasus!" She exclaimed again, moving forward suddenly and grasping two bars this time. "Do any of you know what's been done with the livestock around Fort Chiribald?"

Selthris exchanged an unsure look with the rest of his comrades before turning his shaking head back on her, frowning as ever. "No, I'm afraid not," he answered simply. She widened her eyes before lowering them, presumably in thought. "We haven't had much time to search the fort after taking it," he continued before turning to face the frowning George. He raised his right hand and, with his index, forefinger and thumb outstretched, pointed them directly at the jail cell presumably to open it. The Cavalier nodded in response before stepping forward, key in hand. "You can join one of us in our search if you want; we'll have a look for the stables." He explained briefly before turning, presumably to leave. Tina nodded at him in silent agreement however before the boy could leave the lit-up dungeon a pair of shadows approached them. Raising a silvery eyebrow once more Selthris quickly deduced their appearance as they walked into the light.

The ever-business-like Edgar and Sabine stalked towards him, arms folded and a single arm resting on his hip respectively.

"Yes?" The Lord simply requested curiously, rising his eyebrow skyward once more.

"There's a woman up top asking to see you," Sabine responded with before tilting his head back towards the stairs from where he came. Selthris furrowed his brow as he listened. "Rode in on a Pegasus."

"Funny you say that...," the Vikeruce heir muttered thoughtfully, turning his head half-way to narrow his eyes presumably at the exiting Tina. "Got a name?"

"She's pretty frantic," Edgar spoke up for his comrade, ever frowning in his folded armed expression. "Never managed to catch one unfortunately; Gerard's up top, watching her."

Selthris nodded before stalking ahead, walking past the frowning pair. Sabine double took as he realised the exiting Tina, widening his eyes. "U-Um what's-?"

The Aselian swordsman merely pointed his thumb back the way, the rest of his body unmoving. "Go introduce yourselves," he replied with as he continued down the corridor. "She'll be joining us for a short while."

Sabine blinked on after the boy; Edgar however frowned, seemingly never surprised. The pair turned together in similar order however to join the growing group of seven.

~

As he approached them, the woman noticed him immediately, rising her head from the conversation she was engaged with. The talking Gerard blinked and quickly traced her stare to find the firm-frowning Selthris walking up from the underground jail cells, a hard expression formed on his countenance.

"Are you this unit's commander?" The woman rudely interjected as she ran toward him, sweat stricken short brown hair and all. Gerard shot him an apologising frown, shrugging as he did so. His sky-blue Aselian armour clinked lightly when he did. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Yes," Selthris simply answered her, frowning back up at the taller soldier. "What is this; a message?"

The Pegasus Knight nodded almost immediately, a grave frown of her own attached to her countenance. "Mm!" She began before continuing. "T-This fort, it was just a ruse!"

"A what?"

"A feint! A hoax!" The Pegasus Knight out-cried angrily, clenching her fists as she did so. Selthris narrowed his silver eyes up at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"The Rebel Alliance's full force is coming down on our head at the capital!" The woman exclaimed hurriedly, clearly agitated. "I've been sent to retrieve the soldiers that King Alaric lent you and to call your force back also!"

"Calm down!" Selthris advised loudly, an annoyed scowl adorned. She shrank back in sudden timidity but did as he asked. "All right," the young heir sighed out before following on. He turned to face the wide-eyed Gerard and furrowed his brow at the Armour Knight. "Call the unit together outside; we're leaving immediately."

Gerard raised his eyebrows, surprised. "So soon commander?"

"Yes," Selthris merely shot back before turning his hard eyes back up to frown at the similarly startled Pegasus Knight above him. He nodded at her. "We'll get moving immediately; you can either head back now or join us, I'm not caring either way." The Lord explained briefly before turning to leave, presumably for the cells for his comrades.

"Yes, lord Selthris!" Gerard's loud echo came from the centre of the room.

\--

3

"Here you are," King Alpheus smirked as he tossed the stinking carcass across the throne room. It rolled across the steps and the floor before, finally, landing at the feet of a shadow hiding in the darkness. "Your requested body."

"Thank you... my king." The shadow spoke; a male's voice. His form was hunched, and his robed body shuffled into the torch's light; he put on a low smirk attached to his old and wrinkly face.

"Cadil, was it?" Alpheus spoke once more from his throne, raising a curious eyebrow as he also smirked. The now named Necromancer cracked the wrinkles in his face as he turned his eyes up to the man above him. "Why do you need that body so much...?" Naerith's king requested curiously. Cadil's smirk grew, if that were even possible. "To blackmail me in order to gain such a thing... it must be important to you."

"Now, now, king Alpheus...," Cadil chuckled, raising his left index finger to wave at him disapprovingly. Alpheus' own smirk lessened as he listened. "I prefer to think of it as... good business."

Alpheus snorted in response, turning a disgusted look down on the man. "And of all bodies... it had to be his," he hissed on further as he regarded the two below him. The fallen body of a familiar silver haired warrior lay below. "Sathryon Vikeruce's." He finally revealed, a corner of his mouth upturning as he spoke.

Cadil opted not to respond; not vocally anyway. He widened his eyes and lost his smirk, seemingly concentrating before yelling loudly in effort. He shot up his raised right arm, pulsing with Aegir; slamming his palm down upon the marble floor of Naerith's royal throne room the ground shook almost immediately in response to his actions. A coffin shot up from the floor in between himself and the body below him. Seemingly controlling the casket, it glowed a dark yellow and creaked slowly open. An unnatural wind seemingly sucked in all things nearby; Alpheus himself had to pulse his own arms with his Quintessence to avoid following the corpse inside. Seemingly utilising his Aegir once more, the sarcophagus dropped down as quickly as it had appeared, leaving a dirty great hole in the middle of the king's throne room. Alpheus sighed as he watched, resting his chin in his raised left fist, his elbow laying on the arm rest.

"Please, Cadil...," he began, seemingly frustrated. "I had just remodelled this room."

"Apologies, king," Cadil chuckled, his new smirk seemingly never leaving him. "I had noticed that you hadn't embalmed the body," he pointed out however and raised an inquisitive eyebrow ever upwards. "Any reason for that?"

"It was his body," Alpheus shot back in spitting, venom laced tone. "Why would I waste material on a Vikeruce?"

"Hrm...," Cadil murmured under his throat, his eyebrow rising once more. It lay back down as his smirk re-appeared however. "I see."

"So... how are things in Etherthien going?" Naerith's king spoke up, changing the subject. "Any progress with the civil war, dare I ask?"

"Oh, yes," the Necromancer chuckled lowly in response, watching the royal above him. "It would appear your pawn has already taken to the last son of Sathryon."

"Ah... of course," Alpheus murmured in thought, his chin still resting on his fist. An eyebrow rose up as he continued. "That masked man is a strange one indeed."

"You do know who he is... don't you?"

It was Alpheus' turn to sneer and he did so with great fervour. "Why I believe I do."

"It is only fitting that he be so occupied with the last man of the Vikeruce clan," Cadil claimed, similarly enthralled and even amused. "It would appear though that he is growing in strength."

Alpheus' eyebrow shot up in earnest. "Sathryon's son?"

"The very same,"

"How so?"

Cadil shot the king another smug look as he continued. "I am not completely sure how or why but... Etherthien's 'White Hurricane' himself had agreed to teach him, however briefly."

"Oh? He was of former Etherthien military, correct?" Alpheus frowned out, his interest piqued. "I had heard he swore a blood oath to never teach another student again...after the... mishap." The king finished, his grin returning to his expression as he spoke cryptically.

"Yes, I was similarly perplexed," Cadil answered, a sneer adorned on his own tone as he responded. "But it would appear... he has broken it."

"Surely, he is not that strong," Alpheus snorted out loudly enough that it echoed in the large, dark chamber. "Compared to his father he is..."

"Still young," the Necromancer grinned in interruption, a low smile on his lips. "Even the legendary Sathryon Vikeruce was once but a boy."

"Huh," Alpheus merely murmured lowly, a disapproving but understanding frown on his own face. "Yes... I suppose so."

"So... can I ask?"

"About?"

"The communication lines," Cadil stated outright as he folded his arms and raised a curious eyebrow up. Alpheus noted his words and put on another confident, if impudent, smug grin. "The Etherthien civil war is coming to a close... I imagine your long-hated enemy of Aselia will finally be fighting back, after all..." He trailed off in his folded armed, robed frown.

"A necessary step in my road to conquering Dracolius," the armoured man shot back in his own confident grin. He raised up his head and looked down on the Necromancer below him haughtily. "I need not for you to understand my machinations," he snorted in disgust, watching the little man below him with a familiar sense of distaste. "Especially now." He finished cryptically. A number of uneventful but tense seconds passed between the pair as they glared down and up respectively at one another before, finally, Cadil moved to action. He lifted up his right hand, forefinger and index finger similarly established upward; his dark-amber coloured Aegir charged with a dull hum, lighting up the destroyed portion of the throne room he now stood on. He exchanged his low sneer with the contemptuous glare his partner wore before, as if by magic, his Quintessence activated, and the man disappeared alongside it leaving Naerith's king alone.

He stared on after the missing Necromancer and scowled on, narrowing his eyes where he once stood.

"How are you even still alive...?" He murmured, seemingly more to himself than to anyone else.

King Alpheus was left to ruminate on the strangely silent Cadil's actions and words, the throne room as empty as their conversation.

~

Even as he marched out of Etherthien castle, eyes set and narrowed forward, King Alaric's mind couldn't help but wander back to his earlier orders on sending most of his military force out to Fort Chiribald. He cursed himself for his naivety once again as he took a couple of armoured steps forward and ran his view at the overwhelming number of approaching rebel soldiers. Seemingly led by the man he was searching for, Alaric narrowed his eyes directly at the ostentatiously dressed Baron. Gallarus Cinnario, former noble of Etherthien. And eventual king if had succeeded here today. A corner of Alaric's mouth upturned into a humourless grin and he shook his head with his growing, though low, chuckle.

"Sire!"

He was pulled from his hard reflecting by another of his soldiers; the dim, purple shaded armour wearing Halberdier, seemingly one of his commanders, frowned at him similarly solidly. He merely raised a curious eyebrow and gestured for him to continue.

"Final orders?" The nameless Halberdier requested, saluting at his king. "The Rebel Forces are quickly approaching."

"Same as I instructed commander, bar one small difference," Alaric shot back, his eyes quickly snapping back to watching the far off approaching Gallarus. "I'm going on the frontlines."

"W-What? No!" The Halberdier suddenly exclaimed, eyes widening in alarm. "You cannot sire it is too-"

"I will do as I please!" Alaric snapped in response, a hard frown adorned. The Halberdier shrank back in response. The King's eyes gained a thoughtful air to them as he turned them back on the approaching Rebel Alliance. "I will not let my men out there suffer the most while I sit up here doing nothing."

"As... as you wish my king," the Halberdier finally relented bowing in respect, even with some reluctance. "At least allow us to assist you!"

"I cannot deny you that...," he merely chuckled in response, a small grin growing on his lips as he turned slowly to face the Halberdier. "After all we were once called the greatest defensive unit in the history of our country... were we not, commander Vincent?"

The Halberdier seemingly couldn't help but smirk similarly in answer to his stalwart monarch. "Of course, my king," Vincent grinned, his confidence shining through his beam. He turned his courageous smirk on the fast approaching soldiers. "Should I address the army?"

"Why don't you let me do the honours?" Alaric acknowledged with a competitive smirk adorned to his own expression. His Halberdier companion, seemingly close to him, nodded in his own friendly grin. Alaric's eyes briefly closed and, utilising his control of Aegir, channelled it through each available man and woman placed in their positions around Etherthien castle; a method of communication applied for military use. "Just as you've all been briefed; this is where we stand, this is where we hold them!" Etherthien's king spoke through his mind, his eyes shutting briefly. "Do not forget; we are expecting reinforcements from Fort Chiribald!" The man quickly claimed, a drop of sweat trickling down his brow; a clear sign of strain as he channelled more and more Aegir. "Keep the morale high; today, we emerge victorious!"

Alaric gasped loudly, and his eyes blasted open to coincide with the sudden gush of blood that trickled down his nose. He grunted and wiped away at it clumsily, eyes narrowing forward.

"My liege!" Vincent exclaimed suddenly, snapping his indigo helmeted head 'round to catch sight of his strain. "You mustn't-"

"I'm-I'm fine!" The man stammered back as he swiped at the air horizontally with his right armoured arm, as if for effect. His Halberdier vassal relented visibly, though reluctantly so. "Do not treat me like a withering old codger!" He exclaimed this time, half annoyed and half amused. Vincent couldn't help but form a small grin of his own in retaliation. "I know I went over the limit with that announcement... but our forces are in dire need of a morale boost."

"A morale boost is useless if you are deceased sire," Vincent politely rebutted with, frowning back at him. "Please understand." The Halberdier nodded at him as he twirled his steel lance and took a defensive position next to him. Even as he watched the armoured man he found himself in agreement with the younger man.

"As always, you are correct Vincent my old friend," Etherthien's leader chuckled good naturedly before turning his hard-eyed glare on the approaching Rebel Forces. He took out his imposing axe, the legendary Wolfswath, and glared his eyes forward. He took a few daunting steps forward, the ground groaning from the very weight of his armour. "But this time it's my turn to bat them back."

Though he did not turn his head to face his king and close companion, he put on a low grin as he stalked down the steps ahead of him steel lance in hand.

\--

4

"There are more than I thought!" Gallarus exclaimed out angrily as he stomped the ground with his armoured boot, glaring forward. "I may not have enough soldiers to-"

"My lord!"

The Baron growled; pulled from his thoughts. He 'rounded his scowl on the approaching Halberdier he had previously placed in command of the battle; he glared at him impatiently and angrily.

"Yes?" He hissed out, his growing anxiety showing in full display. Though the Halberdier winced lightly he continued anyway.

"We need your orders, my lord!" The Halberdier attempted to sound enthusiastic, standing up as straight as ever. "King Alaric himself has taken to the field!"

"I don't care if-" Gallarus spat back quickly enough in reply however, his eyes widened as he suddenly processed what his commander had just told him. As if to double check what he said the Baron's head snapped upwards; he squinted forwards and, sure enough, managed to find the far-off king previously mentioned. Seemingly approaching their similarly marching forces, his dark-purple armour slammed against the ground roughly. "Well... I'll be..." Gallarus managed out in breathless surprise, his eyes widened in similar shock.

"Yes, we are all shocked my lord," the Halberdier responded with a positive nod, a serious frown adorned on his expression. "That's why we've halted our march; we need our orders!"

The Rebel Alliance's commander nodded, his earlier impatience seemingly lifted and left. He turned back to face the shorter man and frowned down at him, placing a thoughtful hand upon his armoured shoulder.

"We are in luck my friend," Gallarus spoke, his friendliness though erratic, certain at the moment. He couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the approaching Etherthien forces. "You are, indeed, correct!" The Baron grinned in delight. "If we can just get around to where he is then I'm certain that-"

"Ah...," the soldier interrupted softly, turning his eyes up to his commanding officer sheepishly. Gallarus' grin was wiped from his face as he listened to his younger officer's words. "Um... it would appear that King Alaric's force is attempting to enact their famed 'Cylindrical Turtle' formation."

"Yes, I'm aware of the military tactic," the Baron angrily spat back with. "I do not need a history lesson."

"Apologies my lord but...," the Halberdier began again as he winced once again, seemingly unsure how to continue. "What will do if we cannot break their defence?"

"Well then we will simply break our force against theirs!" The man exclaimed back suddenly and irritably, glaring down at him. He took a quick second however to take a deep breath in and calm his nerves, swiftly remembering his benefactor's advice to him earlier.

Stay calm, he thought.

You cannot stage a coup while angry, he continued.

"I apologise," the Baron sighed out with, calmly nodding and patting his sub-ordinate's shoulders awkwardly. "You are correct! We must simply approach this as we have done with previous attacks; we shall overwhelm them with our military strength!"

"Y-Yes my lord!" The Halberdier exclaimed alongside him, an awkward smile of his own adorned on his nodding expression. Even while Gallarus marched next to his soldier, he gulped down a load of saliva in growing worry. He couldn't help but feel very concerned, especially now that his benefactor had left him to fend for himself.

Horrible thoughts began to nibble away at his consciousness.

~

Selthris huffed and winced as he turned down to the horse that carried him, apologising in a low whisper toward it.

"I'm sorry for pushing you," he apologised before taking himself off gently. He placed a hand to rest on the animal's body as he stood in the white blanket of snow. "You can rest now." He claimed, putting on a rare smile before turning to the approaching Ulric.

"I'm shocked at how quickly we got here in," the Paladin murmured as he narrowed his eyes forward at the clear battle ahead of them, toward Etherthien castle. "Any faster and it may have been a record."

"If you were all from Etherthien we'd have gotten here faster!" Tina exclaimed impatiently as she flew down with her Pegasus, frowning angrily at the group.

"Hey, we came here fast as we could!" Kay shot back, similarly heated.

"Considering how far we were I'd say that's an achievement..." Sabine muttered in his own direction, lowering his head as he spoke.

Edgar coughed in loudly as he turned to face the group from his own horse. He took himself off it before taking out his iron axe and twirling it around to rest on his shoulder, facing the group.

"The longer you all sit here and bicker and worse off the old king's gonna be," the Axe Fighter pointed out wisely, leaning his head at them ever frowning. "It's time to put up or shut up."

"Edgar's right," Selthris concurred with in a hard frown of his own as he took a few steps forward, his silver boots crunching in the snow. He unsheathed his sword and twirled it around with his right hand, glaring his eyes forward. "Time is of the essence; let's do this."

As if in agreement, the rest of the combined Aselian and Etherthien forces let out a quick but loud war cry, shooting their respective weapons skyward in a display of their enthusiasm.

\--

5

Vincent rolled his body forward to avoid the rushing Paladin's steel lance, the snow crunching noisily under his weight as he did so. However, the Paladin's seemingly clumsy strike was nought but a pretence; his charge continued unabated, seemingly for the hard-eyed King. Alaric himself planted his armoured feet into the snowy ground harshly before suddenly pulling back the Wolfswath; the Paladin's eyes widened beneath his knighted helmet and the two glared at one another as he approached. Finally, however, as he seemingly came within range, Alaric spun his body around and opted not to aim for his opponent but for the ground. Although he easily caught the war crying Paladin's steel lance strike with a single spin of his large axe he spun around a second time before roaring similarly as he slammed the ground roughly. An intense blaze burned from the very blade that it offered, and the sheer heat caused the snow around Alaric's body in a certain radius to immediately begin melting. The snowflakes that dared to come too close to his inferno tremor burnt up before they even came within contact with the fever.

The fierceness of the earthquake and attack caused the man's horse to buck and fall, forcing him tumbling off with a grunting, pained scowl. Even as he scrambled to his feet in a desperate attempt to defend himself, the surprisingly quick Vincent re-appeared to cover for his king and stuck his steel lance through the unmounted Paladin's neck. As the Halberdier commander turned around however he stalked toward his leader and frowned.

"Impressive my lord," Vincent complimented forward as he stepped toward the recovering, frowning King lightly. "Still as strong as ever."

"I wish I could do more," the man admitted regretfully as he frowned in chagrin, pulling his body back up from his earlier attack. Vincent lost his grin and blinked. "It still hurts me to have to kill these men."

"I know, my king, I know," Vincent admitted with a sad frown and nod. "But that is what we are for," he began again, this time with a harder frown as he continued stalking forward. Alaric raised his eyebrows upward as he watched him. "We are here to be your blade, to die for your glory."

A corner of Alaric's grin couldn't help but turn up as he listened; he took a few lumbering steps forward to join his commanding officer. "It looks as though our burden at least shall be lessened."

"Wha-?"

Alaric couldn't help but grin again as he shot his nod forward, seemingly directing the surprised faced Halberdier toward something. "Don't you see them?"

Vincent traced his king's stare and widened his eyes in similar shock. "The Aselians!"

"And the rest of our reinforcements too," Etherthien's king replied calmly though not without another enthused grin. Vincent snapped his head 'round to frown in astonishment before slowly forming a smirk on his own features. Alaric nodded back at the man. "We may just emerge from this battle victorious after all."

"Yes!" Vincent exclaimed, the enthusiasm driving him on. He picked up his pace, joined by his king behind him. "For Etherthien!"

~

"It certainly is noisy...," Gallarus murmured as he folded his arms and stalked a few steps through the harsh snow, grinding under his feet. "What's going on?"

"My l-lord they've...," the Halberdier stammered out as he jogged back to return to his commanding officer. Gallarus raised a curious eyebrow upward and watched him intently. "L-Look behind you." He murmured out, wincing as he spoke. Gallarus merely blinked in confusion before doing just as he was told to.

And he widened his eyes in sudden terror.

Their flank was being ambushed by more Etherthien soldiers, their dark indigo colour as strong as ever. Heading the charge were a group of stand-out units, warriors from a different group altogether.

The Aselians?!

"What the-?!" He gasped out, sweat beginning to trickle down his forehead. As he snapped his eyes back to glare down at his ever-loyal Halberdier he scowled down at him. "Is that the Aselians?!"

"I-It would appear so... my lord,"

"B-But how?!"

"It would seem that they knew of our scheme in time," the man responded, a worried frown attached to his expression. "We scarce have the military force now to deal with this, now that generals Rouka and Lachlan have had their own men wiped out..."

"W-What-" Gallarus stuttered horribly as he snapped his head 'round to watch the charging Aselians and Etherthiens attack the men at his rear flank. "What am I to do?" He exclaimed suddenly as he watched a silver haired swordsman dash between a Soldier's clumsy lance strike and a Swordfighter's thrust. "Cadil never instructed me in case this would happen!"

"M-My lord, you should leave."

Gallarus turned with a surprised blink, perhaps still filled with terror. He frowned down at the similarly faced Halberdier. "W-Wha?" He merely managed out.

"If you die here today then the goal we've all fought for goes up in smoke," the man admitted maturely before narrowing his eyes up at the Baron. "Please retreat to safety; we will attempt to cover you." The Halberdier claimed as he stepped forward and spun his steel lance around in preparation for the incoming enemy. It took Gallarus a few seconds to even process the man's words but, when he did, he nodded shakily.

"Y-Yes...," He managed out in another stutter, nodding his head shakily in agreement with the man. He turned on his heel to leave, his eyes on the approaching Aselian force behind him suspiciously. "I-I must survive for my... for my family-"

TINK

Gallarus shrieked, positively shaking in growing terror; a small sword slammed into the snow driven ground not far from where he was about to walk to. When he traced the direction it must have came from his eyes widened again. Quick as a seeming animal, the person responsible seemed to be gone already. He traced the sword once more in front of him to find a grinning, large man. Dressed in the short green of Coremond it was clear he was not of this land. Gallarus made an attempt to seem imposing but couldn't stop his face from twitching in growing fear. The man looked confident as he stood, leant to the side, another sword held in his elongated left arm pointed directly at him.

"W-Well now...," the Baron began as he regarded the larger man up and down. "Aren't you something?"

"You ain't goin' anywhere," the large man finally spoke, his grin never leaving him. He relaxed his stance a little by pulling in his sword arm and yanked the blade he threw earlier up. Now dual wielding, he twirled the two swords expertly, ending in a loud slash together. "You're the commander ain'tcha?"

"How dare you address me so openly?" Gallarus shot back, clearly feeling insulted. "At least make the proper introductions first!"

"Name's Gorlin," the Coremondian Nomad Trooper smirked back lowly before bending his body back, presumably a fighting stance. "I'm with the Aselian force."

"Oh yes?" Gallarus asked, raising a curious eyebrow ever upward as he unsheathed his own weapon; a light rapier, fit for nobility. "I am... lord Gallarus Cinnario of the famed Cinnario clan!"

"Can't say I've heard of you," Gorlin responded, raising a half-curious, half-amused eyebrow. "Fallen on tough times?"

"How dare you...," Gallarus muttered back angrily, narrowing his eyes forward. His previous fear quickly switched to anger. "I will tear your beating heart senseless from its chest to give your ignorance full display!"

Gorlin couldn't seemingly help but chuckle in response, his grin ever prevalent on his face. "Yeah, whatever you say pal."

\--

5

Gallarus grunted as he bounded forward, attempting to strike first; the Coremondian swordsman bent his body easily to the side in evasion and as he spun in his escape he managed to twist his two swords in an attack of his own as he retreated from the smaller man. The Baron grunted again but this time in defence as he raised his rapier to block the larger man's sudden and surprising speed. Perhaps enraged by his opponent's constant grin, Gallarus pressed his luck and leapt forward, poking his rapier forward in a thrust attempt. Seemingly sensing his approach, Gorlin grinned again as he used his left sword to slam his rapier down, surprising the wide-eyed Baron. Gallarus let out a growingly shocked curse as he was pulled with his slammed weapon; Gorlin used the opportunity to press forward with the sword on his right hand, seemingly going immediately for a finishing blow. Thankfully for the Baron however, he recovered just barely in time and swerved his body to the side he was parried on, twisting his body around in evasion as he did so. The pair of swordsmen moved to their respective sides before rolling around in similar glares, 'rounding on each other as they landed.

"So, savage!" Gallarus exclaimed suddenly as he stood upwards, looking down on his opponent. "You think to be swifter than I?!" He shot down haughtily. Gorlin's grin turned upward once more as he studied his own opponent, his left sword pointed directly at him and his right raised skyward above his head.

"I don't know enough quite yet young 'un," the Coremondian swordsman smirked before narrowing his eyes and sprinting forward. Gallarus' own eyes widened in surprise, but he attuned to his attack with his own defence and successfully managed to block the incoming man's light left slash. "But I guess...," he continued lowly as he grunted in a big overhead slash with his right sword; Gallarus raised up his rapier to bar the incoming roundhouse. He found himself similarly groaning, sent skidding backwards from the sheer strength the man carried. "I'll find out!" Gorlin finished in a high exclamation, this time catching the wide-eyed Baron off guard with a quick sweep to the legs. Gallarus gasped as he dropped to the ground on his left side, eyes widened in terror. Time seemed to slow down for the man as he watched his opponent as he brought his two blades around in his spin; an upward slash attack. Gallarus shot up his rapier in desperate defence and the attack collided roughly with him; the Baron yelled in the jarring pain he was given as he was sent smashing to the snowy ground roughly. Though his body suffered a painful jar in his rolling from the sheer tenacity his opponent commanded, Gallarus growled as he used his speed and his left arm to push off the ground, side flipping in response. Landing on his knee, the Baron narrowed his eyes forward before widening them in shock.

Gorlin was gone.

As if to answer his growing consternation, he caught the whooshing sound of his enemy behind him and his eyes darted to his back-left; the grinning Gorlin re-appeared like magic behind him, gripping his dual wielding swords. "Havin' fun yet?" Gorlin's amused chuckle came from behind him before he suffered a sudden smack to his back. Gallarus grunted in pain as he was sent flying from the strike; his eyes snapped wide open however as he caught the super-fast Nomad Trooper dashing to his current position, weapons at the ready once more. Gallarus growled as he forced his Aegir to work; managing to halt his careering through sheer control of his Aegir he levitated in mid-air just speaking distance from the wide-eyed and similarly surprised Gorlin. Sending his two arms to his sides he gave a blast of his aura of Quintessence, forcing the grunting Gorlin back-flipping backwards in recovery. As Gallarus landed he let out a quick and small sigh through his nose before wiping away at the small trickle of blood that appeared at the corner of his mouth before advancing slowly forward.

"Why, sir Gorlin...," he began in a low grin of his own; Gorlin himself stood in a defensive formation, watching him carefully with a frown. "I'm simply having a ball." He chuckled lowly, lightly whiffing a diagonal slash; as he did, several icicles, seemingly created through use of Aegir appeared in the same direction he had made his slash. With his other free hand he shot his open palm forward, seemingly used for his technique. As if responding to him, the levitating icicles shot forward as if missiles shot from a cannon.

Gorlin gasped but acted as appropriate; using his right sword he slashed at the approaching icicles to cancel them out. Seemingly succeeding he grinned but quickly found his right arm frozen. His eyes widened, and he gasped again.

"What the-?" He muttered out disbelievingly. His speed seemingly increased, Gallarus shot to the man's undefended rear and Gorlin's eyes shot to him, widened in his shock.

"This is my Bloodline Limit!" He proudly exclaimed in a big, confident grin. "You should have heard of our clan!"

Gorlin let out a frustrated grunt before giving up on his right arm; utilising his left, he attempted to turn his body around in a slash attack. Gallarus easily anticipated the attack and used his rapier to block the clumsy strike, his body a perfect show of posture. Leaning to the side, he placed his free arm to rest behind his back, clenched fist and all as he held the sweaty and scowling faced Gorlin's roundhouse strike.

"What is this?!" Gorlin exclaimed, panicked as he stood. His eyes shot to his side, seemingly looking for his frozen right arm. "Why can't I move my arm?!"

"Hmph!" Gallarus merely shot back before pushing against the wide-eyed swordsman's strike, sending him gasping and stumbling away. Utilising his speed and reserves of strength, he spun around before charging suddenly forward, catching the large man on his side with a thrust seemingly intended to kill.

Gorlin gasped, eyes widening as he was struck; he managed to turn his shocked eyes down to mix with his opponent's contrasting bent low smirk. Suddenly however Gallarus returned time to its usual flow by ripping his rapier out of the man's now fresh wound before yelling in effort as he spun around in a slash attack. Gorlin let out a roar of pain as he was struck by the rough slash, sprawling to the ground painfully. Even as he landed, his right arm remained airborne and frozen. Fresh blood from his side began to stain the otherwise bright snow below him and he turned his grit toothed and bloody scowl on the smirking Baron above him.

"You're pretty reckless... oh swordsman," Gallarus chuckled lowly as he towered over the weakened Nomad Trooper, his rapier and body casting a long shadow over him. "I shall put an end to your misery!" He exclaimed grandly, twirling his rapier forward before gripping it with both arms, seemingly intending to stab him in the finishing strike. As he leant forward for the killing blow however, he barely caught an intruding force on his sharp right; with no time to react and pull his blade back, he suffered a rough kick to the ribs, sending him grunting and rolling to his side in pain. As he gyrated through the snow, he grunted in his recovery, landing on one knee as before though as he did, he raised his white infested head up to glare forward in anger at the possible interruption.

A young, sky-blue armoured woman stood by her lonesome, grinning over at him seemingly in defence for her comrade. Her long blonde hair brought into a neat ponytail was lifted by the harsh snowstorm Etherthien's wild offered and she twirled her steel sword expertly as she watched him. As Gallarus raised himself up calmly he dusted himself off and sighed out through his nose in growing impatience.

"Must you Aselians be so rude?" Gallarus called over angrily and testily, narrowing his eyes through the white storm. The woman seemed ought not to respond to him; instead she smirked back at him, leaning her body to the side. She used her free left hand; lifted it up and challenged him silently with a pull of her fingers. He growled and scowled back at her before bounding forward in his advance.

~

Although his initial charge was fairly direct, he used his deft footwork to sidestep the woman's sudden stab, seemingly aiming for where he was. With a similarly nimble handle on his rapier he smirked lowly as he brought the weapon around in a swift half-moon motion; the blonde Cavalier ducked the slash and put on a grin of her own as she swept his feet. Gallarus growled in growing annoyance with his opponent; he used his left arm to grasp at the cold snow below him before using his Aegir to help bound backwards in a recovery roll through the air. With surprising athletic skill he managed to land perfectly and, in a spin similar to those in the finer arts of theatre. With a satisfied smirk he turned it forward only to lose it almost immediately as he quickly realised his blonde opponent was no-where to be seen.

"What the-?"

Sensing a shadow plummeting above, his eyes widened and snapped upwards to find the grinning faced woman descending down for him, steel sword powered by her fire affinity Aegir.

"Aegir Art; Blazing Blade!" The woman exclaimed loudly as she smashed her fiery steel sword with the grunting Gallarus' rapier; he exchanged his hard scowl with her similarly firm grin, the sparks and fire from her weapon showering the air roughly as they did so. "Not bad!" She called over the din of the ongoing battle ahead and behind them. "I never thought you'd keep up with a lady!"

Gallarus let out an angry snort as he grunted and pushed her back, she widened her eyes and stumbled back before back-stepping to evasion. Her sword still burned with as fierce a passion as her speech and she smirked over at him as he responded.

"I'd hardly call you a lady," the Baron insulted lowly as he looked down at her haughtily. She raised a curious eyebrow and grinned at him as she did so. "An opportunistic rat that attacks the moment they see an opening... with not even a mention as to their name."

"It's Kay," the blonde Cavalier chuckled lowly as she stood up straight running her free armoured hand through her snowflake covered hair, leaning her body to a more relaxed posture. "What about yours?"

"Hmph...," Gallarus replied contemptuously, narrowing his eyes down at the woman ahead of him. "Gallarus Cinnario of the great Cinnario clan!" He exclaimed grandly, a hard frown adorned on his lips as he did so. Kay raised a curious eyebrow, her grin still ever prevalent.

"Oh yeah? I think I know that one,"

It was Gallarus' turn to grin and he did so with great fervour. "Oh yes?" He began before continuing. "Then surely you know... this!" The Baron exclaimed before deftly slashing at the air with his rapier and, just as before, small icicles began to appear with the icy cold Aegir that he commanded. Kay lost her grin and narrowed her eyes firmly at the technique, perhaps attempting to work it out. With another confident grin of his own however, Gallarus shot his open left palm forward and fired the icicles forward. As he watched her raise her fiery coloured steel sword he couldn't help but break into a run following his technique, laughing. "Just like your foolish comrade!" The Baron whooped in hilarity, watching forward hungrily as he rushed onward. "Freeze from the harsh cold of Etherthien, oh Aselian warrior!" He yelled as he brought his rapier back for a presumed stab attack.

Surprisingly, however, even as he watched her, her sword arm remained absolutely fine as her diagonal slash cancelled out his icicles. His eyes widened in complete shock and she turned her concentrating frown to a confident grin before leaving her armoured left leg out. Unsuspecting of such a simple trap the Baron gasped as he was tripped up; he stumbled forward, his second attack easily cancelled out. With deft athletics, Kay followed up her counterattack with a swift knee to his low stomach. Though he wore armour, he felt the rough pain of her Aegir as he was sent stumbling steps back. She followed up her counter with a further roundhouse kick to his face this time, catching him off guard; the usually quick Baron exclaimed in pain as he was sent careering across the blanket of white snow. In his grunting, pained roll he attempted to recover and barely managed to; with a single eye shut in his pained concentration, he used his very weapon to catch on the ground below him skidding across it to halt his movement. With widened eyes however he managed to catch the surprisingly fast Cavalier behind him, seemingly having pursued his retreat; he turned his body around and charged his ice-like Aegir, raising his rapier up in a defensive motion. Kay, sure enough, levitated above him and roared with effort as she plunged down on him with another fiery technique; the two managed to shake the very ground the rest of the soldiers battled upon and the sheer tremor they gave off from their Quintessence made several of them turn to watch with shocked eyes.

Gallarus groaned under the surprising might the woman carried, Kay similarly growling in a hard-eyed glare. Her crimson aura of Aegir clashed with his dark-blue one as she levitated above him, pushing eternally against his own defence. With both arms gripping her steel sword, Kay managed to channel yet more Aegir to her attack and she let out a war cry to go with her billowing Aegir aura. Gallarus' eyes widened in growing terror as he quickly realised he was running low on his own Quintessence; he gasped as his very body was pushed further and further down into the ground. His rapier gave out many sparks of energy, either presumably from the strain he put it through or as a very warning itself.

"N-No! Why?!" He exclaimed up in climbing horror. "Why weren't you frozen like your idiot companion?!" He demanded angrily, and she laughed down at him, her grin re-appearing on her facial expression. She shut one of her eyes in sheer effort as she responded.

"I guess my fire just beats your ice!" She laughed down at him before narrowing her one open eye and roared again with similar effort as she continued. "Now you're gonna pay!" She called in her growing outcry. "For what you did to my friend!"

Gallarus' eyes shot even further open as he watched, unable to work out a way through her offence. His mind quickly drifted back to his grinning, missing advisor, Cadil.

Where was he when he needed him?!

Kay's scowl appeared fresh on her face; she gritted her teeth roughly as she broke through the man's rapier and he screamed in similar adrenaline filled terror. With both arms powering her weapon she smashed her fire coated steel sword through his Aegir aura defence and even through his bright-purple coloured armour. Piercing his very chest he let out a blood infused cough, staining her scowling face as she watched intently. She pushed her blade in further as she attended more force to the hilt of her weapon, yelling as she did so. Gallarus' now weapon-less arms shot up to grasp the unmounted Cavalier desperately via her clothing. He scowled back up at her as he coughed out blood yet again, staining her sky-blue armour this time.

"N-Not here...!" He hissed out as she growled back down at him. "N-Not n-now...!" He managed out in another cough, shutting his eyes in growing pain as he raised his head skyward, presumably from the suffering.

\--

6

"Kay!"

The Cavalier gasped as she shot her blonde head up to find the oncoming George, seemingly finished with the rest of the soldiers in the rear guard.

"G-George!" She called back in response before taking her hands off her steel sword, as if she were behaving badly somehow. "Get someone from the medical team on Gorlin, quick!"

"W-What about you, aren't you-?"

"I'm fine!" Kay exclaimed again, this time of impatience and annoyance as she pulled herself up from her bleeding and injured opponent. "Get Gorlin looked at!" The Cavalier shot over hotly. George winced in response before simply nodding and rushing over to the said Coremondian swordsman.

Even as he approached, Selthris exchanged an unsure and perhaps worried expression with the frowning Leo. As Kay dusted herself off as best she could she stood up and began walking forward, presumably to re-join her comrades.

"Kay." He merely greeted, a hard frown as ever adorned on his face. He stood, leant toward her, his hand on his sheathed sword. She shot her head up and blinked, surprised before grinning back at him.

"Sel," she greeted in response, rubbing the back of her snow-infested hay coloured hair. "What's up?"

"What happened here?" The young Lord questioned, his silver eyes darting between the fallen and groaning Gallarus as well as the similarly injured Gorlin. He spied the kneeling Cavalier George applying emergency first aid to the fallen Nomad Trooper.

"You're gonna love me," the blonde Cavalier grinned back at the curious faced Lord. She edged her thumb back the way she came and let her head nod upwards to join it. "I beat down the enemy commander for ya!"

"Really?!" Leo exclaimed, surprised before tracing her thumb to find the fallen Baron, bleeding on the snow-covered floor. "Damn! You weren't kiddin'!" The Mercenary gasped in shock as he watched their fallen commander grunt in pain.

"Medic!" Selthris suddenly called around his shoulder, ripping the small group out of their strange trance-like behaviour. Although Leo merely ran his finger inside his ear, perhaps to stifle the noise from earlier, Kay's eyes widened, and she scowled back at her lord angrily.

"Are you getting him medical treatment?!" The Cavalier exclaimed angrily as she 'rounded her hard look on the surprise-frowning faced Selthris'. Selthris turned to face her and, though his silver eyes widened in continued surprise, he watched her carefully and patiently. "He just tried to kill Gorlin and nearly succeeded! If anyone deserves medical treatment, it's-"

"Kay," Leo softly interrupted with; the blonde Cavalier blinked at him and he nodded his head in the swordsman's direction. She raised a curious eyebrow and did just as he had seemingly requested; she discovered part of the medical squad huddled 'round the injured Gorlin. She let go of her previous anger and turned her head slowly back to face the pair of companions, rubbing the back of her blonde head as she did so. "I'm sorry I just-"

"It's fine," Selthris smiled wanly in response, shaking his head of the matter. "I get how it looked," the Lord continued lightly as he stepped 'round ahead of her before stopping a step further from her. His furrowed brow and his frown reformed in full pelt however as Leo joined him at his side, hand ever resting on his sheathed sword at his hip. "But we need him alive," the silver haired youth explained briefly as he glared forward. He spent a good second or two glowering forward at the fallen Baron buried under the gaggle of medical professionals before turning a light smile on the blinking Cavalier. "Don't worry; Gorlin'll be fine."

Though Kay couldn't help but smile softly in response to her superior's certain words, she re-gained her worried frown as she watched him walk away, Leo in tow. A strange feeling washed over her; an unwelcome one as she witnessed the pair walk off, uncertain of its origins. She found it difficult to pin down as she furrowed her brow at the leisurely walking Lord and narrowed her eyes at him.

It was the same strange uneasiness she felt when she observed her former superior, the Lord Knight Sathryon.

The Cavalier shook her head of the matter and walked forward, presumably to join them.

"And the wounded?" Alaric questioned one final time as he walked through one of the many corridors of Etherthien castle.

"Some deceased but our losses are minimal," the dark-purple robed strategist informed the king once more as she walked behind him, quickly reading over some papers in her hand. "It would seem your man Vincent is still ascertaining the numbers."

"I see," Alaric sighed lowly, lowering his eyes in sad thought before quickly re-raising them, his motivation swiftly returning as he continued down the hall. "I want you to inform lord Selthris and his Aselian force to join us in the mess hall."

"My lord?" The woman questioned, surprised as she turned her head at him. He turned to face her with a wink and a light grin.

"It is time we deliver on our promises miss Monica." The man claimed in his knowing grin. She merely blinked at him before simply nodding in a light smile of her own, eliciting the pair to continue down the hallway.

\--

7

Selthris stood uncomfortably, feeling the eyes of not only his comrades at his back but the many loyal soldiers of Etherthien dotted around the mess hall, their iron and steel lances all held upward. Leo stood next to him, a contrasting picture of confidence and health; he nudged his close companion on his arm, pulling the silver haired boy's frown on him.

"Don't worry so much," the Mercenary shot in with as he grinned at him. Selthris frowned back before gradually turning his eyes back on the gaggle of growing staff members at the front, seemingly administrators of the castle. Selthris' silver eyes glared at them suspiciously, watching them carefully. "I know you're worried, but we did good," Leo tried in his confident grin. Selthris turned to frown back at him and received another nod from the Mercenary in response. "Your dad would be proud."

Selthris couldn't help but raise a side of his mouth up in a grin of his own in listening to the older boy before turning his light grin forward once again.

I'm not sure he would be, he thought, opting to keep his negative thoughts to himself.

Finally, however, the man of the hour appeared before them; the smiling and robed dressed Etherthien king paced out to meet the group. As he walked toward them, he turned his eyes on the assembly of knights behind the two males and Selthris exchanged a single look with his companion. With a final nod they both knelt on one knee in a display of respect to the wind nation's king, eyes drawn down to the ground below them.

"Please, rise," King Alaric spoke aloud, calling the boys up. Selthris did as he was instructed and turned his hard frown on the man above him. With another inviting smile, wind nation's ruler beckoned Aselia's only remaining lord with a pull of his left hand. Selthris gave his brown-haired companion a final frown before turning to walk up the steps, now facing the man before him. "Lord Selthris of the kingdom of Aselia," Alaric began once more as he smiled at the silver haired swordsman ahead of him. "May I ask you now to please kneel?"

With a curious eyebrow risen ever upward, Selthris did as instructed wordlessly and knelt forward, leaving his similarly risen left arm to rest on his right knee.

"Thank you," Etherthien's king smiled once more before taking the large axe he had previously wore during the battle just hours earlier. "In the name of House Etherthien, I thus grant thee the title and rank of High Lord and all the honours it conveys," He explained briefly, eliciting a wide-eyed frown from the youth. He never dared to raise his head until he felt the soft press of the axe's blade against his two shoulders. "Now... please rise, High Lord Selthris."

~

Almost immediately and, strangely, Selthris felt a bizarre sense of new-found strength run through his body powering not only his muscles but his Aegir also. As he lifted his feet from the ground and stood he marvelled at his arms, staring down at them in a shocked, wide-eyed frown.

Was this what a true promotion felt like?

"You feel it don't you?"

The newly promoted High Lord turned his surprised wide-eyed frown up at the smiling king above him. "U-Um..." He managed to stammer out, seemingly unable to find the correct words with which to respond. Alaric couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"You've been so quiet since your quest begun; it is still refreshing to see some things never change I suppose," Etherthien's king laughed out goo naturedly. He outstretched his right robed hand and smiled down at the youth; Selthris' silver eyebrows risen upward in curiosity, but he stepped forward to join him, taking his hand in his own. "Just as you have promised you have truly been a large factor in this civil war," he explained briefly in his smile as he shook the frowning youth's hand. "If anyone deserves to be called after the legendary Aselian dragon, it is truly you my son." Alaric complimented well naturedly as he smiled down at the youth. Though Selthris gave the king a forced smile of his own in listening to the man's words he finally opened his mouth to respond.

"But why... why this?" He asked as the pair pulled their arms back lightly; Alaric raised a quizzical eyebrow up at him, clearly curious. Selthris levitated his arms upward to his sides, as if to show the man the very promotion he was given, frowning back up at him. "Why are you deigning me as Etherthien royalty?"

"Well, because, my dear boy," Alaric began in reply, chuckling amiably as he joined his robed hands together wisely. "If I had given you command of the troops under a different flag it wouldn't really have flown by the board." Etherthien's king smiled down at him kindly. Selthris blinked in surprise, eliciting him to continue. "Don't worry," he chuckled. "There is no need to hang on to your new title if you would rather return to your old country's customs but, please, bear in mind," he began again as he lowered his eyes thoughtfully before, re-raising them to smile once more benevolently down at him. "You are always welcome to return here," he claimed before taking a few steps forward. Selthris' eyebrows risen upward before he was taken in by the taller man's sudden, surprising embrace. Selthris stood gobsmacked, perhaps astonished by the man's words before raising his eyes to rest on the man as he pulled himself back in another smile, his robed arms resting on his shoulders. "You are like the son I never had." Alaric gave forward with a final affable smile, patting the youth on his shoulders.

"You're... serious, aren't you," Selthris murmured in response as he frowned back up at Etherthien's king, seemingly surprised. Alaric's smile did not falter, and he merely nodded wordlessly in response. "Thank you... uncle Alaric." The High Lord finished, this time with a light grin on his face. The wind nation's monarch couldn't help but burst out laughing once more as he took his arms from the boy's shoulders. Rubbing at his eyes he let out another low chuckle.

"Yes, I suppose I'm old enough now to be called 'uncle'," the King chuckled good humouredly before re-joining his robed hands together and smiling back down at the boy. "You have truly not just proven yourself, my son, but the rest of your overwhelmingly powerful teamwork," Alaric claimed, turning his eyes up to watch the ever-loyal comrades of the boy's. Led by the similarly smiling Leo, the group of warriors stood facing them. Selthris watched them with a frown of his own before turning back to face the king. "Your true strength, my boy, is your ability to inspire those within your banner," Alaric spoke in his low grin. Selthris frowned back up at him silently, listening intently. "Execute the same leadership you have done during this civil war and I have no doubt Aselia shall be yours again." The smiling King claimed boldly as he leaned in, arm outstretched one final time. A corner of Selthris' mouth upturned into a light grin of his own before he also leaned forward.

"Thank you, uncle," Selthris finally answered, smiling up at the King above him. "I will not let them down."

As if to respond to his words, the Etherthien soldiers along with the previously silent Aselian force let loose a bellowing, morale filled war cry, filling the mess hall with a reverberating echo. Alaric seemingly couldn't help but give the boy a chuckling smile of his own.

"I'm certain you won't."


	15. Aselia Emboldened

Chapter 15: Aselia Emboldened; March of the Dawn-bringers!  
Search for the Missing Tomb Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Eternal Bond" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"The Bringer of War" – Dynasty Warriors 5 OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).  
"Great Red Spirit" – Dynasty Warriors Online OST. Scene 5 (First Half).

\--

Having finally achieved his destiny and succeeded in putting a stop to the Etherthien civil war, King Alaric of Etherthien has finally seen fit to gift the young Selthris Vikeruce command of a full regiment of Etherthien army regulars in his hard-fought effort to fight off the Naerith menace. Though of Aselian birth he is dubbed an honorary high lord of Etherthien itself; Alaric places his faith and trust in Aselia's only remaining Vikeruce clan member, gifting him with a promotion to fit his new rank as commander of the Aselian and Etherthien alliance. Since they started in the small country of Aselia, the group of warriors have slowly grown in strength and, now, with a full regiment of Etherthien army regulars, Selthris leads the well-equipped fighting force to the top mountainous region marking the border between Etherthien and Naerith itself. Placing camp outside of its borders to prepare, Selthris begins to form a strategy with the rest of the military in an effort to take the upcoming Fort Stormholme.

Meanwhile in Naerith, King Alpheus seemingly works with no method to his reasoning whatsoever; his communication lines have all been cut save for one. Revealing his treachery in betraying the doomed Gallarus Cinnario, Cadil Agares appears before the Naerithian king in order to receive an unknown corpse retrieved earlier from blackmail. The pair operate in the shadows and none bar the pair themselves know their own intentions. What could Alpheus' motives be to cut the lines of communication? What could Cadil's own motives be in blackmailing Naerith's very king and the importance of this corpse? With even less information to work with, Alpheus himself can only lay conjecture on the matter.

Having managed to capture the fallen Gallarus however, king Alaric opts instead to pursue the remaining forces of the uprising; a hard-decided conclusion indeed for the usually soft man. Opting not to waste his time with the matter anymore, king Alaric brings his hand down hard on those who would seek to cause further unrest and impede prosperity and peace. Alaric, however, in spite of many of his duties has managed to forget one very important job. Sending a messenger out to the marching Aselian and Etherthien force, he leaves with them a solitary but critical item to be delivered. Leading the many soldiers under his command, Selthris Vikeruce lays camp on the mountainous region overlooking Fort Stormholme...

\--

Scene 1

Even as he walked past the numerous soldiers bowing their heads and greeting him soundlessly, Selthris couldn't help but force his smiles back in response; raising his hand half-heartedly to wave at the dark-purple armoured soldiers pacing around the main camp.

"You gotta loosen up," Leo chuckled at his side, grinning over at him from the boy's left. Selthris turned his annoyed frown on his close companion's contrasting grin to respond but opted to continue listening. "I know you and people don't mix but you're the commander now," the Mercenary grinned in as he continued in his well-meaning chuckle. "It's all about tactfulness!"

"I know," Selthris finally grumbled in response, swivelling his head back forward in his frown. As they passed a Halberdier and his troop of soldiers he put on another forced smile as he nodded and waved back in greeting before swiftly returning to his hard frown. "My father always had something to say about my lack of etiquette."

"I'm sorry,"

Selthris blinked, turning in confusion. "Wha-?"

"I didn't mean to bring that up," the Mercenary apologised with a concerned wince. "I'm sorry."

Selthris gave the older youth another confused blink before shaking his head in a laugh of his own, dismissing the matter. "Don't worry about it," the High Lord claimed; his turn to grin. "You're my closest companion; I couldn't care less what you know."

A corner of Leo's mouth upturned in amusement before he turned his curious raised eyebrow on his friend. "Strange choice of words."

Selthris turned his grin back on the older warrior. "You know what I mean," the former Lord smirked back humouredly before turning back to their path. "So, I hear we're getting a new ally in this one."

"Yeah," Leo confirmed with a light nod as he paced next to his friend and commander. "Apparently, she's the greatest mind that Etherthien's ever had," the Mercenary claimed in a light grin. With a surprised frown, Selthris turned to face the older young man, eyebrows raised upward as he did so. "It would seem she's led Etherthien to victory on more than a few occasions; a gem of King Alaric herself."

"'She'? Really?" Selthris responded, genuinely surprised. Leo grinned but nodded back. The High Lord tilted his head before turning back to face the main tent they were now approaching. "Long as she's smart I don't care who she is."

"Hear, hear." Leo agreed in a low chuckle as he grasped the tent flap. Opening it up Selthris nodded a silent thank you to his friend before striding on in with the hard frown he so often wore.

As they entered they were greeted with the usual faces; the smiling George, grinning Kay, smirking Gorlin and frowning Sabine. Gerard and Tina pulled themselves from their conversation to both smile at the entering pair.

"Where's our new ally?" Selthris questioned suddenly as he turned his eyes across the room, unable to find the woman Leo had mentioned previously. Finally, however, as if called by his words a pair appeared before him as different as he could have suspected. His eyebrows lifted in surprise at the number.

"New allies more like," Kay shot in from the other side of the tent, grinning as always. George shot her a disapproving look, but she merely continued. "And it's not just these two either!"

"Kay!" Ulric interrupted angrily, his tone hard. The Cavalier cringed in response, dropping her blonde head as she did. Ulric's hard scowl quickly turned to an understanding frown as he raised up his head and nodded at the frowning Selthris.

"It's fine," the High Lord shook his head dismissively at his veteran commander before swiftly turning back to the face the two ahead of him. Their difference in stature almost surprised him; an old woman smiling over at him and a younger, scruffier, black haired man. "Good morning," Selthris greeted, his hard frown ever present as he leaned forward to outstretch his arm. The old woman took it with a low grin as she watched him, seemingly carefully. "You must be one of our new allies I presume?"

"Yes, you have old Alaric to thank for that," the old woman chuckled as she exchanged a grin with the smiling man to her left before re-turning back to face him. "Mine's is Ariella and his is Norman," she claimed as she nodded her head in the male's direction. He bowed slowly in light respect as he was regarded, smiling as ever. "You must be the great heir to the last of the Vikeruce line!"

"Um...," Selthris began, lowering his eyes temporarily before re-raising them and nodding. "Yes." He merely answered.

"I never met your father, the great soldier Sathryon," she added as she smiled up at him. "But I am sorry for your loss."

"M-Mm... thank you."

"Now!" Ariella exclaimed, clapping her hands youthfully. Catching the wide-eyed High Lord off guard she stepped over to the table in the middle of the space. "I have procured many helpful elixirs to use should we need any."

"You're an alchemist?" Selthris asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Yes, miss Ariella is the best there ever has been," Norman spoke up from the side in a light smile. Selthris turned his hard frown on the older man and raised an eyebrow at him. Norman folded his arms before turning to smile at his curious faced superior. "There's not an illness that hasn't been cured by her."

"Don't oversell me now, Norman," the old woman shot back in a light chide, frowning at him. "Last thing I need is to perform under par..."

Selthris turned his initially curious frown from Norman to Ariella's position. "No, I'm sure if King Alaric lent you both to us then-"

"All three of us you mean." Ariella interrupted with a light grin as she turned her face to meet his. Selthris' eyebrows lifted again in surprise. Suddenly he remembered Kay's words not five minutes ago and nodded.

"Yes, please forgive me," he winced in response, turning his eyes away from her temporarily. "It's no real excuse but I've... had my hands full."

"I imagine so!" Ariella responded enthusiastically as she gripped a bag underneath the table before raising it with a grunt. Bringing out some small bottles of strangely coloured liquids she placed them down very carefully on the table before her. "Now! I figured I'd bring this up before any talk of war begins, so..."

"Yes...?" Selthris questioned lightly as he chanced a few steps forward to look at the multi-coloured bottles of sustenance. His silver eyes narrowed down at them.

"These are my latest tonics," the Alchemist smirked confidently, her eyes quickly assessing each individual bottle. "These will increase your statistics by at least two for a limited period of time."

"Really?" Gorlin spoke in with visible surprise as he stepped forward to join them. He grasped the red coloured bottle and held it toward her. "What does this one do?"

"That one would raise your physical strength to twice its normal length," the old woman smirked back up at the Coremondian Nomad Trooper. His eyes widened, and he chuckled in a light grin of his own as he looked back down at it. She turned her eyes over to the rest of the group and opened her robed arms up with an inviting smile. "Come! I won't bite." She encouraged with a light grin. The rest of the Aselian group, though murmuring together did as she asked and strode forward to examine the contents.

"That's impressive," Leo mouthed as he lifted the green bottle, eyes as glassy as the similarly jade-like substance. "How long does this last?" The Mercenary questioned as he turned his narrowed-eyed frown down at the old woman.

"A few hours, long enough for an average battle at least," Ariella answered for the youth, smiling up at him. "Now, it is Norman who is able to retrieve the extracts I require for these and I am always busy," the Alchemist claimed as she turned her grin on the rest of the listening group. "We do of course require time to produce results, but we like to think we're not too bad with those." The old woman chuckled at the group.

"If this is true we're gonna win this war so fast!" Kay exclaimed excitedly as she gripped the blue coloured bottle before turning her enthused expression up on the surprised-faced Ariella. "You're one resourceful old crone!"

"Kay!" Ulric barked suddenly and, once again, angrily. Kay shrank back again in response as she was chided; her mentor turned to face the smirking and listening Ariella. "I do apologise," the Paladin added respectfully as he bowed his head toward the seasoned chemist. "She's very forward but she means no offence."

"None taken," the Alchemist grinned as she joined her robed hands together, regarding the pair with a humourful air to her tone as she did so. "I appreciate plain speech."

As if satisfied by her response, Kay turned her victorious grin back on the lightly miffed expression of Ulric's, staring at one another for a second or two before returning to the table.

"Ah!" Ariella suddenly exclaimed as she turned her head to face the frowning Selthris. He raised his eyebrows, this time in curiosity as he was regarded. "I'd like a word, if possible." She requested, frowning back at him. He nodded in response.

"Yeah," he merely answered before raising his head to face the rest of the group. "We meet back here in thirty minutes; no less." The young commander put out in a quick but firm order, his similarly hard eyes unchanging in tandem with his business-like frown. The Aselian group all nodded and placed their fists upon their plated chests in response, as if to wordlessly acquiesce to the heir's request. Selthris turned his concentrated frown on the lightly smiling Ariella before nodding toward the exit of the tent. She nodded similarly before following him out.

He led the old woman out to the high end of the hill they were camped on and folded his arms before turning to face her, however, he double took instead to his right when he spied an intruder. His silver eyes widened in surprise before he was set aside by the chuckling Ariella.

"Calm down, she's not an enemy." The Alchemist grinned out next to him as she laid a hand on his left softly as if to warn him gently. He snapped his hard frown back down to her before turning back to face the seeming woman before him.

She was tall and wore a strangely attired dark cloak. A mask adorned on her face as she also turned to meet him; a plague-doctor's style. He couldn't help but scowl at the sight of the mask, the memory of his nemesis and father's killer coming to mind.

"I'm sorry, did I... offend you?" The woman finally spoke, bringing him out of his trance. He gasped and blinked at her before shaking his head and putting on a smile, chuckling in apology.

"N-No I'm... I'm sorry," the High Lord responded with as he winced back at her. "I've just had um... bad experiences with masked soldiers. That's all." He finished, this time in a soft frown. Ariella raised a curious eyebrow up at the youth as she listened before turning to face the nameless masked woman.

"You must be talking about Naerith's infamous Masked Man," the woman replied, as business-like as he did. Selthris' silver eyes widened as he listened; she shook her head at him however almost as if sensing his inner thoughts. "I'm sorry; I only know the stories of him and his prowess in Etherthien."

"Ah," the High Lord murmured in a knowing frown as he nodded gravely and slowly, his eyes wandering downward. "Of course... I shouldn't have asked, I'm sorry."

"Um... anyway...," the masked woman began again in reply as she lowered her own head in presumed thought before re-raising to face him once again. "I'm the extra assistance that King Alaric saw fit to grace you with."

Selthris' eyebrows lifted, and he exchanged his surprised frown with the listening Ariella's grin before facing her once again. He nodded before leaning in and bowing lightly in respect.

"Selthris Vikeruce, of the Vikeruce clan."

Though she took his hand in her own in response she replied just as quickly vocally. "I know your name," she chuckled, seemingly in good nature. "King Alaric briefed us."

It was Selthris' turn to smile; he did so amiably. "I see."

"It's Hawke, with an 'e'," the woman finally gave claim to, seemingly smiling behind her mysterious mask. "I'm here to help."

"Thank you," Selthris smiled lightly in response as they pulled their hands back. "The way things are I'm feeling very overwhelmed at the moment."

"Being put in charge of a full Etherthien force can do that to you." Hawke stated, a grin in the tone of her words. Selthris couldn't help but chuckle lightly as he lowered his head temporarily before tilting it once and re-raising it to face her once again.

"Yes, I... suppose it does." He finally answered in his own agreeable smile.

"Okay now dear off you go," Ariella finally interrupted with as she stepped forward, shooing the surprised Hawke off with a light raise and bend of her hands. "The commander and I have business to speak of."

"I imagine you both do," the masked woman spoke behind her disguise, another friendly smile laced through her words. She gave the pair a final bow before turning to leave. "I'll report back any changes in Naerith's activity."

"You do that," Ariella smirked lightly as she nodded her head upward at the seemingly younger Sniper. As she finally turned to leave, the Alchemist swerved to meet with the freshly frowning High Lord once more. "Good! Now!" She smiled as she clapped her hands together.

"Yes, lady Ariella? What was it you wanted to...?"

"Please, forgive me for being so candid and so forward with you but...," the seasoned Alchemist began as she lifted her eyebrows up and wandered her eyes away from his. She quickly met his silent gaze and, this time, joined her robed hands together as she gave him a stern frown of her own. "I am quite concerned."

Selthris blinked in honest puzzlement. "W-Wha-? What about exactly?"

"Your companion, Leo, is it?" She began again, tilting her head lightly as she raised an eyebrow at him. His eyes widened in recognition. "He put forward some worrying things with your group."

"W-What did he...?"

"It would appear you have put this army and yourself in danger's path," Ariella claimed as she tilted her head lightly at him, watching him carefully. Perhaps looking for a change to his facial expression she continued. "In your fixation with a Naerithian general."

Selthris' hard frown couldn't help but twitch, but he opted not to respond to her, seemingly hoping that the subject would drop itself.

"I realise what this must be about," the Alchemist quickly added as she narrowed her eyes back up at the boy, a solid frown of her own attached to her expression. "Given your father's recent death and your country's engagement with Naerith," she began again as she frowned up at him. He turned his eyes away from her in response. "I know why you do what you do; now I want an answer for it."

"What business is it of yours?" Selthris spat back suddenly, his silver eyes snapping back on the old woman. She stared back at him with similar toughness, watching him intently as he continued. "Leo got himself involved for his own reasons; this is my problem," the High Lord shot back warningly as he narrowed his eyes down at her. "For what Naerith's Masked Man did... it's up to me to avenge him."

"'Him'...," Ariella murmured as she furrowed her brow at him in listening. "You mean your father, don't you?"

Selthris merely nodded.

"To have lost to anyone, let alone an unknown knight of Naerith...," she frowned as she folded her arms and lowered her eyes in presumable thought. Her eyes quickly snapped back up however, catching up with the boy once more. "Who is this Masked Man?"

"I don't know," Selthris simply answered as he shook his silver haired head and strode past the smaller soldier, raising his head up to the snowy sky. His boots crunched lightly in the snow below him as he narrowed his eyes upward, seemingly toward the Naerith fort from their own position. "No-one seems to know."

"And still you will press on regardless," Ariella replied, her frown quickly morphing into a light grin and she chuckled. "I don't know whether it's idiocy or brazenness."

"What'd you ask me for?" Selthris shot back in an annoyed murmur, his eyes still glaring at the fort ahead of him. "I'm the only one this really involves anyway."

"Wrong!"

The High Lord blinked in pure surprise before 'rounding on the old woman behind him. She glared back at him, seemingly similarly annoyed.

"Those soldiers in there, those men and women; they fight for you," the Alchemist claimed as she darted a finger in the camp's direction. He traced it before returning his hard frown back on her, allowing her to continue. "I don't care how you think they feel...," she began again as she advanced on the boy. He gasped lightly under his breath and took a step or two back in retreat from her, taken aback by the firm behaviour in her. "You are now responsible for their lives and that, by the way, includes mine!" She exclaimed loud enough for her words to reverberate across the very mountaintops that they stood on. His eyes widened at her words, perhaps for the first time dealing with the realisation. She continued as she glared hard at him, drawing her finger back. "You command a rather large force, Lord Selthris," she spoke, this time much more softly as she frowned up at him. "That's a lot of lives," she claimed on as she tilted her head at him. "Do not lose yourself to your quest for vengeance... these people are drawn closer to you than you think." She finished, staring up at him a second or two before finally turning and leaving him to his thoughts.

The hard-eyed Selthris watched her leave before turning his eyes back on Fort Stormholme, eyes narrowing hard at it.

~

"Hey, Ced, what is that?"

"Uh?" Ced muttered, his tone disgruntled as he turned his head to face the similar Soldier on his left. His companion pointed skywards and Ced narrowed his eyes at him before tracing his gauntleted finger. He tilted his crimson helmeted head up at the mountainous region above them to find a far-off silhouette of what looked like a camp. "I dunno, looks like a-"

"It's a camp, isn't it?"

Ced rolled his eyes as he turned back to his hanger-on. "Hicks for Narga's sake-"

"What are you both whining about now?"

The two Soldiers turned their surprised frowns behind them to find their approaching commander, joining them in the late afternoon of the snow outside the fort. A shorter man than the two Soldiers, he was dressed in similar Naerithian colours; crimson and ebony. His robes indicated his work as a Sage; his striking, though short red hair, went with his robes and the Elfire tome he carried.

"Ah, um, hello Commander Brighton," Ced greeted hesitantly; a smile forcing its way onto his expression as he turned away from the man. "No whining here."

"N-None here at all, my lord!" Hicks stammered out in agreement with his companion, his eyes turning back but his head faced forward. Ced couldn't help but roll his eyes again as he listened.

"Well, clearly it must be something...," the Sage murmured as he took a few steps from the open doors of the fort, tracing their eyes. His own eyes narrowed upwards and he tilted his head. "Is that...?"

Ced inwardly groaned.

"It is!" Commander Brighton gasped before turning his hard-eyed glare back on the two Soldiers on either side of him. "And just when were you both going to fill me in on this?"

"C-Commander, please; we only just saw, now!" Hicks stuttered out once more in growing worry and concern. Brighton leaned in and stared back at him comically. Ced gripped the skin between his eyes in a silent show of frustration as he listened.

"Hrm...," Brighton murmured before tearing his face back and narrowing his eyes back up at the camp above. "Well, either way it would appear we are finally getting some action!"

"Morale is raising." Ced muttered in sarcastic agreement with his commander and Brighton chuckled, perhaps unaware of his Soldier's intent.

"Indeed!" Brighton chuckled. "Perhaps we can add to my list of accomplishments!"

"Commander, if I may," Ced interrupted lightly, causing him to blink and turn to face him. The unsure Hicks ran his eyes over his commander before finally resting on his companion once more. "We don't even know what military force is up there," the Soldier pointed out as he turned back to face the man, a hard frown on his own face. "Any further action at this stage would be-"

"A clever idea; yes, exactly!" Brighton smirked happily as he raised his right index finger once before lowering it. He slapped the wide-eyed Ced across his armoured back causing him to stumble lightly in his stance. His hard, annoyed frown twitched but he opted not to respond. "Yes, I must prepare a brilliant strategy with which to successfully stave off their attacks!" He exclaimed as he turned and began to walk back into the fort, his words soon disappearing into echoes.

"Good plan commander! We'll be out here!" Hicks smiled in response over his shoulder. Ced's angry nudge caused the innocent expressed Soldier to turn his surprised frown on his companion's quizzically.

"Oh joy." Ced muttered in growing disdain and misery, his re-raising to rest on the seeming focus of their troubles.

\--

2

"All right, now," Ariella began loudly and commanding enough to pull the attention of the room toward her. She laid out the map before her on the table below her and turned her head up quickly to face the silent group watching her. "Does anyone know anything of Naerith or Fort Stormholme, before we begin?" The Alchemist asked wisely, eyebrow risen upwards curiously as she scanned the room. As she did so however, the majority of the soldiers all exchanged murmuring shrugs with one another. Ariella opened her mouth to continue but quickly stopped when she noticed the hard-frowning Ulric, George and Kay stepping forward. "Yes?" She pressed, raising an eyebrow upward.

"Please forgive me if I am speaking out of turn, my lady," Ulric respectfully spoke, filling his words with his usual sense of politeness and even decorating them with a bow. "However I would like to add to the con-"

"Today Ulric-sensei." Kay laughed at his side, nudging him with her red armoured arm. He turned to face her with a slightly miffed frown before quickly regaining his knightly demeanour.

"Yes, lady Ariella; I can say with the utmost confidence that we know much of Fort Stormholme and Naerith in particular." The veteran Paladin finally answered. Ariella's eyebrows rose up in further surprise before she put on a knowing smile.

"Ah, yes, of course," she nodded as she joined her robed hands together. "I keep forgetting Aselia has a bloodied history with Naerith."

Ulric's hard frown was not in the least dissuaded; he merely nodded back in response. "Yes; Lord Sathryon and his fought back in the previous war, chasing down the earlier king to this very spot."

"Really?" Ariella asked as she leaned forward, narrowing her eyes at the Paladin. Ulric nodded.

"Indeed," he confirmed. "Though knights George and Kay were both very young at the time...," he began again as he regarded his two Cavaliers. George bowed in respect as always while Kay put on a winking grin. "We all have some battle experience with Naerith in the past."

"Okay, excellent," Ariella smiled in growing satisfaction. "You three can lead our charge, given your history and all."

"Of course," Ulric concurred before turning his head to face the silent High Lord closer to the tent's flap. "Provided Lord Selthris is satisfied with-"

Selthris merely shook his head and waved off at the Paladin's concerns. Ulric bowed once more in respect.

"Thank you, my lord."

"Speaking of which...," the Alchemist began once more as she turned to face the frowning Selthris. "I think now would be an appropriate time, Lord Selthris." She pointed out in her light grin as she 'rounded it on the blinking High Lord.

"You mean-?"

She nodded, her grin still on her expression.

Selthris lowered his silver eyes, presumably in thought, before nodding in agreement and stepping forward. Ariella took her leave with a light bow, stepping backwards to allow him room.

"Um...," the young Vikeruce heir initiated as he hovered over the table she once stood at, turning his head to face the inviting soldiers under his command. "I'm not... quite sure how to start this but...," he claimed, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head before re-raising his head. Receiving another confirming nod from the watching Ariella and a confident smile from the folded armed Leo he continued. "You are all aware of my father's passing, I'm sure," the youth commenced once more as he turned his eyes temporarily down toward the map of Dracolius lying on the table before him. "I have been... very selfish," the High Lord admitted, lowering his eyes as he spoke. He quickly re-raised them however and scanned the room to face the surprised members of the war council. "I have involved most of you here in my vendetta with my father's killer," he conceded further. "I blindly focused on the idea that I was merely keeping people out of it; I refused to face the idea that I wouldn't do this alone," the youth claimed before bowing, this time in presumably apology. "And... for that... I am very sorry."

"Pfft," Gorlin's deep voice quickly filled the room; all eyes turning on him. The folded armed Coremondian grinned over at the surprised High Lord. "Don't even worry about it kid; I get it," the Nomad Trooper claimed as he waved off the matter. "You're bad with people, so what? Doesn't change how we feel about ya."

"Hell yeah!" Kay concurred with her companion, raising a confident crimson armoured fist as she did so. "You're our friend; we care about you!"

"All right enough of the sappy stuff," Sabine muttered, his own arms also folded. "Shouldn't we be focusing on information on Naerith?"

"Yes I'm sorry," Selthris apologised once more as he nodded, resting on his hands on his sheath. "I didn't mean to rail over the topic."

"So... what you got for us Sel?" Leo replied as he unfolded his arms, placing one to rest on his hip as he smirked over at his close companion.

"Honestly not much more than what Ulric, Kay or George has but...," the High Lord began as he placed his right hand over the table overlooking the map in Ariella's possession. His silver eyes narrowed down at it. "I remember my father telling me certain things about this place, or, the area overlooking it."

"What about the area overlooking it?" Kay rudely but unintentionally interrupted with a curious raise of her blond eyebrow, staring at him in surprise. When he realised the group of soldiers watching him suspiciously and carefully, the youth reasserted himself with a loud cough and turned his eyes away from hers.

"Um, n-nothing in particular, just stories from his exploits," he reasoned with hastily, hoping the matter to be dropped. Leo watched him with a half suspicious, half annoyed frown of his own before allowing him to continue. "We should start with what we know for certain."

"Agreed," Ariella nodded in confirmation, her eyes lingering on his for a moment before quickly tearing to rest on the group as a whole. "Hawke, how's it look out there?"

"Fairly busy; there's a watch posted on all four pillars," the masked Sniper claimed as she folded her arms down at the seemingly older woman next to her. "I'm not sure on the actual numbers inside but it is only a small fort; I like our chances personally with these numbers."

"Hell with old Ulric's battle experience alone we got this in the bag," Gorlin chuckled in good humouredly as he edged his thumb in the Paladin's direction. He turned also to meet the disgruntled elderly warrior's stare. "I can back his unit up... if he needs it." The Nomad Trooper grinned as he winked at the huffing old Paladin.

"Do not treat me like a withering old snake," he shot back in light annoyance as he huffed before folding his arms once more and facing the group as a whole. "I am not averse to this however."

"It is probably the best use of our strength to be honest," George offered in, working with the growing morale of the group. The Cavalier frowned however in his usual business-like appearance. "Naerith's military tends to consist of armed forces via the ground; their air unit is usually stationed closer to the capital."

"More good news," Ariella grinned in as she turned her eyes down to the map below on the table. "We can work with this."

"What if George's information is dated?" Leo spoke up however in contrast, a hard frown of his own. The Cavalier blinked in surprise as he listened. "We could be marching into a suicide."

"I agree," Sabine shot in with a hard growl and scowl of his own, his own arms folded. "I don't much like the thought of walking into those lances the Dragon Knights use."

"Well there must be some way we can ascertain their forces and their numbers, surely?" Gerard spoke up with an unsure frown as he turned his eyes over to the group, his armour clinking and clanking noisily.

"What do you suggest, Leo?" Selthris questioned as he turned his silver eyes over to his close companion, eliciting a surprised blink from the Mercenary. Leo quickly gained a light smile on his face however.

"I imagine some actual reconnaissance is in order, huh?" The older youth claimed as he grinned at the High Lord before quickly turning his nod on the masked Hawke. She seemingly rolled her eyes behind her mask but nodded back in response regardless.

"Oh, there's no need," Ariella shot in with, surprising the group of soldiers. They all exchanged similarly dazed expressions before turning back to the Alchemist in question. "Hawke meant what she said when she said she liked our chances." The old woman chuckled knowingly in a small grin of her own. Although Leo opened his mouth to re-respond to the woman, Hawke did it for him.

"I can confirm we have the advantage in terms of actual numbers in our force." The experienced Sniper claimed in a nod, her arms ever folded.

"How do you know this?" Selthris questioned a little suspiciously, narrowing his silver eyes and raising one of his eyebrows upward as he did so.

"I'm good at stealth." The woman shot back, a grin in her words while she did. Although Selthris watched her, unsure, Ariella couldn't seemingly help but let out a classic guffaw of laughter.

"That's my Hawke!" The old woman laughed as she slapped the masked woman across the back with her hand in a strange mix of amusement and pride. "You can trust her, boy, I'm telling you!" Ariella added in another grin as she waved her finger at the blinking youth. "She's got enough battle experience to make you sing young 'un!" She exclaimed in a happy chuckle. Selthris merely blinked at the old woman before turning to face his new comrade. He nodded, outstretching his left hand and took the seemingly surprised expressed Hawke's own in a professional shake.

"This information's gonna be a huge risk... but...," he began as he lowered his eyes, presumably in thought before quickly re-raising them to face the Sniper and nodding once more. "I'll trust it and I'll trust you."

"Thanks." The masked woman chuckled, a smile in her words as she responded.

"So?"

The group all turned around, surprised. They found the annoyed and impatient expressed Sabine standing, arms ever folded.

"Are we gonna get going? Today maybe?"

~

"What is...?" Ced began again as he narrowed his eyes forward, even craning his neck for a further look.

"What, what's up now?" His ever-close companion, Hicks, sighed out for the umpteenth time. He turned his ebony helmeted head around in his similarly bored frown before quickly tracing his friend's stare. Ahead of them, from quite some distance indeed, were a very visible group of dots all marching down; presumably soldiers like them.

Only this time however, they were not allies.

"Oh fuck," Hicks cursed aloud but in a worried whisper, eliciting his companion to snap his own wide-eyed frown on his. "Aselians?"

Ced shrugged, shaking his head, seemingly unsure.

"But they couldn't have gotten these many men since...," Hicks began again as he turned his eyes downward, presumably in thought. Just as quickly however he shook his head of the matter and turned back to face Ced on his left, his face hard and his eyes similarly firm. "You stay here; I'll go inform Commander Brighton to get the men ready."

"You better be quick," Ced warned in a light wince as he turned his gulping frown back on the far off but approaching armed forces. "We're gonna need everything we got to take on a force of that size."

Although Hicks looked away from his comrade and winced lightly in response from his words he merely nodded and turned to run off into the manned fort, searching desperately for his commanding officer.

Ced twirled his iron lance around his left hand and, after affixing his iron shield, narrowed his eyes forward in the presumable interim.

"Is it revenge you all want?" Ced thought to himself in strange pondering as he watched them carefully. His eyes narrowed once more, perhaps in a re-affirming of confidence. "I got it right here... for every man there; come on!"

\--

3

"Just as we all discussed," Selthris began as the conjoined Aselian and Etherthien military force halted their march. He spun around to face the soldiers behind him and narrowed his eyes over them. Although the sweat on his brow betrayed the fake confidence mask he gave them, he put on the hardest tone to his voice he could project and tried intensely to speak as his father would. "Kay, George and Ulric; you three are with me in the frontlines with the rest of the vanguard," he started once more as he nodded in the twin Cavaliers' and their Paladin commander's directions. They all nodded in their respective frowns and smile in response. "Leo, Edgar and Gerard; I want you three to fight in the second assault group. You cover what we may miss," the silver haired youth nodded again, this time in his best friend's direction. Edgar nodded in his ever-business-like frown, his arms always folded. Gerard smiled and nodded as obediently as he always did while Leo merely grinned and winked at his close companion in response. "Sabine; I want you to cover our backs in tandem with our mage and rear guard. You can both assist the frontline squad and our backup."

Sabine merely nodded in a seemingly tired frown one arm resting on his hip and the other holding the steel bow he wielded over his shoulder.

"Gorlin," Selthris again addressed in a business-like frown. The Coremondian Nomad Trooper grinned back in the boy's direction, nodding his head upward as he was called. "I'd like you to please cover our support squad; I'm confident with your battle experience you can probably do more, so I apologise but... you're the best fit for this."

"You're the boss." Gorlin grinned back in his commanding officer's direction, even saluting him off. Selthris couldn't help but grow a very small grin in response before returning to his frown as he faced the rest of his comrades.

"Ariella and Norman," Selthris began once more as he faced the similarly grinning old woman and frowning eye-patch wearing soldier. She stood next to the younger man and he wielded his huge scimitar over his shoulder in a show of his great strength. "I'd like you two to act as part of our support and medic squad; assist the wounded that we bring in."

"Can do laddie." Ariella chuckled back in response as she nodded back to him; Norman merely nodded alongside his mentor, a light smile of his own attached to his expression.

"And... you; Hawke," the young Vikeruce heir initiated; the real order he was both anticipating and dreading. The masked Sniper raised his eyebrows behind her disguise and nodded her head upwards in his direction. "Given your battle experience and information regarding the Naerith soldiers and their formations... I need you to be flexible."

"Yes?"

"I'd like you to begin by assisting us on the frontlines," he began by nodding towards the grinning Kay, smiling George and frowning, but nodding Ulric. She glanced in their direction before returning her motionless gaze towards him. "Your information could prove very helpful in mopping them up."

"Uh huh?"

"And I'd also like you to fall back to the rear guard with Sabine and assist him once things are more comfortable."

"Are you... sure?" Hawke asked, unsure herself as she raised a curious eyebrow at him. "Once our momentum starts I don't mind saying I could easily help carry our force forward."

"Point well taken and, you're probably right," he began in a humoured chuckle as she hung his head to the side in response before re-raising it to face her. "But I'd feel better if I could minimise the amount of risk and possible losses to this battle."

Hawke nodded in quick relenting and in an amiable manner as she did so. "Of course; I understand that," she began in response before finishing. "On your mark, general."

"G-General..."

Selthris blinked before re-raising his eyes to find the teal haired Pegasus Knight hiding in amongst the rest of his soldiers. His silver eyes widened in surprise before he quickly recognised her.

Tina; the soldier held captive in Fort Chiribald.

"Um, what should I do?" She asked again for confirmation, tilting her head as she did so. "I'd like to join you all on the frontlines if you'll let me but..."

Selthris looked thoughtful for a moment before turning to face Ulric, Kay and George. They all nodded in response, seemingly approving and agreeing to her request.

"Yes, you can join us," the High Lord acquiesces to her request before frowning back at her apologetically. "I apologise; I'm not one-hundred percent efficient quite yet in this role." He apologised in a wan smile as he re-raised his head to face hers. She merely smiled back at him and shook her head, allowing him to nod and turn his eyes back on the fort ahead of him. "All right...," Selthris initiated once more before finally turning back to face Fort Stormholme, silver eyes narrowing hungrily. The Masked Man's seemingly non-existent face lay behind it, imprinted on his psyche and he glared at it before unsheathing the sword he was given. He pointed it forward and opened his mouth to finish. "Now! All units, attack!" He exclaimed suddenly and loudly, causing the men and women under his command to exclaim.

~

Even as they approached, Selthris' ears rung in a blaring echo.

A war horn, perhaps?

Changes nothing.

"I see 'em!" Kay exclaimed loudly as she urged her horse onward, a hungry grin upon her lips.

"That's them all right." George intoned lowly alongside his older sister, eyes narrowing forward, presumably in growing courage.

"Stay close together!" Ulric echoed loudly as he held onto his own horse's reins tightly though lightly enough for the animal's comfort. "We keep the lord Selthris alive!"

"Don't worry about me," the High Lord shot back in response, though quietly enough as he sat behind his military commander with a hard-faced scowl upon his face. "I'll be fine Ulric."

"What do we do with our horses once we get inside?!" Kay exclaimed above the din of the Aselian and Etherthien soldiers behind them and the Naerithian soldiers ahead of them. Although George and Ulric opened their mouths, Selthris spoke up for them.

"Ditch 'em!" The young High Lord exclaimed loudly enough for the three to hear him. "We'll work better in enclosed spaces together without them!"

The three all nodded visibly as they charged forward, indicating their silent agreement.

As they approached the locked double doors of Fort Stormholme, they were met with the hard-faced paired Soldiers standing guard together, their shields both raised. Selthris leapt off of Ulric's horse, eliciting a surprised blink from the older warrior. Unsheathing the sword he was given to from the Masked Man, he descended himself down like a spiralling drill of slashes and slices. Even as he crashed past the yelping and roaring Soldiers, his attack was assisted by the three horsemen's charge behind him, easily dispatching the pair. As he landed, he spun his body around in swift recovery before quickly snapping his silver haired head backward to find the entrance locked before them.

"We'll have to get the battering ram." George murmured in light impatience before turning to open his mouth once more.

"No," Selthris merely interrupted with as he snapped his head back 'round to face the three. He turned his eyes back on the doors slowly, similarly silver eyes narrowing forward. "I can get this done before our forces even catch up." He claimed boldly; Ulric and George's eyes widened in shock, exchanging a look together. Kay couldn't help but chuckle as she dismounted off of her horse and watched him, folding her arms as she did so. He didn't wait for their respond and, instead, bent his body back and spun his sword around, both hands resting on the hilt. The blade was pulled back, presumably far enough behind him for use but before any of the watchers could even question the youth even on his use of technique, the boy's eyes widened suddenly, and like a flash, he was gone.

DROOM

Kay, George and Ulric all gasped as they brought their arms up to block the sudden smoke and deafening sound of explosion that rumbled throughout the fort before lowering them slowly to find the smoke still lingering. Finally however it began to dissipate and, as it did, they were greeted with the similarly low postured Selthris both hands resting on his weapon, raised diagonally upward, almost as if he sliced through the very doors themselves. The watching three could only watch him in further shock, perhaps unable to find the words necessary with which to describe their amazement. However, the youth suddenly grunted and dropped to one knee, his back to them. As if a slap across their faces, the three Aselian knights rushed forward to assist their commanding officer.

"Young Lord!" Ulric exclaimed as he bent down to quickly grasp the gasping boy by his free right hand.

"That was amazing!" Kay exclaimed excitedly. "The way you-"

"Not now Kay!" George admonished annoyedly as he spun his iron sword around on foot, turning his eyes on the Cavalier behind him as he did so. The blonde-haired sibling winced but nodded as she joined him in their formation.

"Are you all right?" Ulric questioned as he assisted the youth up.

"Y-Yes...," Selthris gasped out as he shook his body, presumably to regain feeling once again. He raised his head and turned his silver eyes to his right side, catching the sight of the approaching Etherthien soldiers at their back. He couldn't help but put on a grin as he caught the similar faced Leo winking at him with the rear guard he ordered previously. The lance wielding Tina quickly dismounted her Pegasus and rushed in to join the frontlines' force, eyes narrowed forward. "Just like I told you, Ulric!" Selthris exclaimed suddenly as he leapt to his feet, eliciting a surprised gasp from the veteran Paladin. He stood on up with the youth before following behind him in his march, unsheathing the steel sword at his side. "Nothing can stop us!" The young swordsman whispered out, this time with a hard growl and low scowl upon his lips.

\--

4

"What in the name is that racket?!" Brighton exclaimed loudly and angrily as he stomped around the back of Fort Stormholme. He folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently as he did so, watching the fiery black soldiers rushing past him. "It certainly is bustling with heavy energy as well..." The Sage commander murmured as he watched the grave faces of each man running by him. Finally however he was granted some form of respect in the form of a former partner he spoke to that same day.

The sweaty faced Hicks, Soldier of Naerith, stopped his run just shy of the Sage's own face. He took a step back in sudden surprise before narrowing his eyes and re-affirming the spectacles on his face. He leaned forward as he did so, as if examining the man.

"Are you all right Hicks? You look like you've positively seen a ghost man!"

"That Etherthien force we saw camped on the mountains...," Hicks managed out in a continued gasp as he lowered his body in a tired stance before quickly re-raising his eyes to face his surprised commander. "They're attacking!"

"They're what?!" Brighton screeched in shock, eyes widening. Not even one nameless soldier stopped in their rushing past the man to even take notice.

It would appear everyone but him had this knowledge.

"B-B-But why would they attack here? It was Aselia that Naerith have a problem with, not Etherthien!"

"The civil war in Etherthien has come to a swift close commander," Hicks managed out in his tired gasps. "I imagine it would be the Aselian force that we have failed to finish off."

"You mean they received reinforcements from those opportunistic dogs and are now bearing down on us?" The Sage exclaimed angrily as he widened his eyes down at the poor Soldier. Hicks merely nodded in a light wince of his own, drawing an angry screech once more from the fort's commander. "Damn them!" He called out, stamping the ground in a show of his anger. He turned his growing scowl on the poor Soldier below him. "Join the soldiers on the frontlines; push them back!" He ordered suddenly, thrusting a gloved finger in the man's face. Although Hicks frowned back disapprovingly he could only but visibly nod back at his commanding officer in reply. "I don't want their ilk even near me, do you understand?!"

"Yes commander!" Hicks exclaimed in response bowing in respect before running off, leaving the shaking Brighton standing in a now visibly worried gulp.

He had heard of the Aselians growing in strength, but he had thought those were mere rumours.

Ah, if only the famed Masked Man were here, he thought.

~

A Soldier leapt at him clumsily with an attempt at a thrusting stab attack, his steel lance held tightly. Selthris' speed had thankfully exceeded the average fighter and, with it, he managed to leap up on the man's lance. The Soldier's eyes widened as he snapped them upward and prepared to counter but, by then, it was too late; Selthris back-flip kicked the man across his unguarded face, sending him grunting in the air. The youth's scowl permeated as ever on his expression as he used his free left hand to grasp his contrastingly grinning comrade's; the eagerly bounding Kay leapt to action, using the younger soldier's hand as a boost. Quickly reaching into the confines of her Quintessence, she put on a grin and cloaked her iron sword in a fiery aura of energy.

"Aegir Art; Fire Bed Vestige!"

Even as she exclaimed the words of her technique; the dismounted Cavalier shot down to the ground roughly and caused a small explosion of fire, injuring and perhaps even killing multiple rushing soldiers. The exclaims and yells of pain from them in the background caused the watching frontline Aselian force to wince in response.

"Kay!" Ulric called forward angrily toward the huge smoke cloud she created. "Be more careful; that could have been us!" Her superior called, a disapproving frown adorned on his features. He morphed them into an apologising frown however as he turned down toward his own superior. Selthris' own hard frown returned his comrade's and he merely shook his head in response, placing a comforting hand on the man's shoulder.

"No, I approve," the High Lord responded with in shaking his head. "Trust me the quicker this is done the better."

Ulric had to admit, the boy had a point.

"Still! We should be more careful!" Ulric called on after the running Selthris but it was too late; the youth was already off and gone. The Paladin commander grunted in annoyance before following behind him.

Utilising his grown speed from his mentor in Etherthien, Selthris quickly and deftly leapt up above to the incoming soldiers from the front; landing on one's grunting helmet he continued to use their shields and helmets as pads, swiftly avoiding the clumsy strikes and stabs they attempted to hit him with. Finally, as he side-flipped in a bounding leap, he landed between not just one, two or even three but positively dozens of the Naerithian soldiers. Their attention caught as he landed in a recovery spin of his body, unsheathing his sword in a hard scowl as he did so, the soldiers all seemed to murmur together as they watched him curiously before all seemingly coming to the same conclusion.

"He's the commander!"

"Get him!"

And with that they were off; Selthris began by expertly twirling the single edged sword in his possession into a backward position, his left palm outstretched. Even as they approached however, with great dexterity in his fingers and hands, the youth quickly twirled the sword in his right hand to switch positions, hilt held forward first. When the first soldier came within range, Selthris quickly used his new positioned sword to catch the soldier's shield, immediately halting his march and tying the two together. The soldier's eyes widened and he merely gasped as his clumsy stance was easily broken; in an immediate counterattack, Selthris spun his body around and, with the soldier's shield still attached to the back of his sword, slammed it into the same man's face as he spiralled across the air, sending him grunting and skidding backward. The many soldiers around and behind him however hurriedly gave pursuit; with a hungry look in their eye they all sprung for their attacker. Selthris swerved his body to the right to bypass the grunting second soldier's stab attack before suddenly hopping upwards into the air in place, managing to evade the angry sweep of the lance by the third behind him. As he landed however, Selthris promptly channelled his lightning affinity Aegir to his sword and spun around lightly as he landed. The electricity made the yelling soldiers that were pursuing fall back a few steps in sudden pain, allowing him yet more room to counterattack.

The newly promoted High Lord surged forward, his hard silver eyes set on a soldier standing before him. The soldier's eyes widened and he quickly rose up his shield to block; with similar sounding grunts the pair stared each other down from their own positions, Selthris in his suspended scowl and the soldier glaring back at him. Before long however, the bright haired swordsman suddenly pushed off of the man's shield sending him rocketing backward. Utilising his Aegir as an aura, he began to spin once more as he landed, each soldier he passed yelping in pain from the shock he provided. One of the many that recovered however leapt for him and roared a battle cry, catching his attention; Selthris' eyes widened and he snapped them to his rear position to find the suspended soldier descending down upon him. He shot his own sword upward to defend the man's vertical strike and even in spite of the lightning infused blade he struggled against, the soldier managed to make the surprised boy sweat. Selthris gasped in jolting bewilderment as he fell to one knee, grunting. The soldier grinned down at him in spite of the earnest effort he clearly exuded before laughing visibly; the soldiers around them all exclaimed loudly in support for their ally.

Before he could manage to break the boy's guard entirely however, an interruption from his right caused him to gasp and snap his head in the direction his eyes faced. Sure enough, a blue-green fused-like colour whizzed past the man and sent him skyward; he exclaimed a cry of pain as he spun into the air. Selthris, now unburdened, quickly regained himself to his feet and snapped his own eyes to his right in tracing of the sudden blur.

Could it be; his new mentor?

When he saw the crouching and grinning Tina however his eyes widened in astonishment.

She's been that fast all this time?

The dismounted Pegasus Knight followed up her attack with an abrupt vault skyward in seeming pursuit of her victim. Utilising the iron lance she carried, she grunted as she spun her body and weapon around in a vertical slice, drawing a yelp of pain from the pain. She deftly stuck her spear into the man's armour, piercing it and penetrating his flesh. Seemingly evoking more strength from her very Aegir itself, the young woman called out loudly as she plummeted downwards, the poor howling soldier in tow. Eventually and suddenly as well, the pair crashed to the ground, kicking up granite and dust everywhere. Selthris grunted as she hopped to the side and raised his free left arm up to dodge one of the stray boulders and block the incoming smoke respectively. As it dissipated however, Tina was no-where to be found among the ruined wreckage. Before he could even call out her name he felt her presence quickly zip behind his and he narrowed his eyes around himself. Quickly working out the alarming number of soldiers edging themselves around his position, he narrowed his eyes once more at them threateningly.

"Surprised you're not dead yet." He heard her say and presumably with a grin. Selthris' own frown quickly devolved into a low scowl and his eyes snapped 'round to his side, presumably to face her without losing face on his approaching enemy.

"I probably shouldn't have rushed in like that but..."

"Oh gee, ya think?" The young woman shot back, again a grin in her words. Though Selthris rolled his eyes at her statement he couldn't help but agree with it.

"What did you follow me all the way out here for anyway?" He questioned suspiciously, running his eyes around as he did so. "Hoping for a reward?"

"You're so cynical," she laughed, a mischievous tone in her voice. Selthris' brow furrowed as he listened, further surprised. "Whatever happened to camaraderie?"

Selthris' low scowl twitched lightly in response as he responded. "I suppose I'm just a bit more...," the young High Lord began before escalating his tone into a higher octave, similarly leaping upwards to evade the solitary incoming soldier's stab. He retaliated with a spinning and jumping roundhouse as he did so however, catching the yelping man across his face and protected helmet, sending him sprawling across the granite ground. "In touch with reality." The younger fighter finally finished as his suspicious eyes rapidly scanned his surroundings.

Even now it didn't look good.

With a suddenly fearful gasp, he caught the sight of an approaching arrow from his side and presumably his new companion's front. Before he could even manage to defend himself from it, the Pegasus Knight behind him easily snapped the zipping arrow in two as it came within range, eliciting a narrow-eyed glare from him in response. She grinned back at him.

"Are you really?" The teal haired young woman shot back, raising up an amused eyebrow with a beam to match. She turned her head back, presumably to face her numerous enemies. "Somehow I doubt that."

Even with the tone of her voice, it was obvious there was a joke mixed with sarcasm positively laced through her voice.

For that small space of time, Selthris remembered what it was like to have a friend besides Leo.

Just as quickly as it had appeared however, it disappeared when the Naerithian soldiers all let out war cries and rushed the pair. Selthris and Tina both narrowed their eyes in their respective hard looks, preparing themselves however, before they even could, they swiftly found the same rushing soldiers seemed to stop. Though some continued and forced the pair to leap around in defence of themselves, they looked around to quickly deduce that their own troops had finally caught up with them.

"Reinforcements!" Tina exclaimed with a happy grin as she stood and blocked the two soldiers' steel lances. She turned back to face them with a hard scowl of her own before grunting as she pushed back forward, forcing the pair back a few steps. The young and dismounted Pegasus Knight quickly gave pursuit with a swift sweep, knocking the pair of yelping soldiers off their feet and causing a knockdown. Directing non-elemental Aegir to her own steel lance, she put on a grin as she slammed the weapon roughly into the poor men's chests and bodies, their own cries of pain drowned out by the oncoming Etherthien military.

With a deft leap, presumably from the rear guard section of their positions, Leo landed expertly next to the scowling Selthris and the High Lord's silver eyes widened as he snapped them to his right. The young Mercenary grinned back at him, winking.

"Kept you waiting, huh?" The Mercenary couldn't help but laugh in his words, eliciting a low frown from the boy as opposed to his earlier concentrated scowl. "Looks as if I shouldn't have been worried."

"Leo you're supposed to be with the-"

"I know, I know," the older youth shot back as he raised the iron sword he always sported to rest on his shoulder, grinning back at his younger friend. "Following orders and all that but..."

"But?"

"You have this bad habit of overexerting," the brown haired warrior claimed, this time with a hard frown of his own. Selthris' frown twitched and he lowered his eyes away in response. "I guess some things never change."

"I know; I'm... sorry," Selthris tried, unused to speaking so close to another. His eyes, still lowered in presumable shame, swiftly re-raised themselves to face him as he continued on. "It's not so bad up here in the frontlines anyway; she won't leave me alone." He admitted, his tone with a hint of annoyance as he nodded his head upwards. Leo blinked, turning his head around to find the grinning Tina parrying another soldier, before ending the confrontation as quickly as it started. Leo quickly turned back with a suggestive grin, raising his eyebrows continually.

"Maybe somethin' there for big boss-man huh?" The Mercenary suggested in an amusing smirk. Selthris stared back at his closest and, perhaps, only real friend with a hard-eyed narrowed frown. Suddenly, he sported a low smirk, similar to Leo's however and drew a snort from his nose.

"Haven't heard that one since we were kids," the High Lord shot back in a low smirk before slowly passing the youth. Leo caught up before walking alongside his compatriot, his iron sword still held broadly across his armoured shoulders. "In any case, it looks as if the Naerith forces are finished here." The young swordsman claimed boldly as he nonchalantly blocked a clumsy and wounded soldier's thrust before using his free hand to pull in the gasping man. He easily disarmed the tired soldier before sticking his own sword through one of the man's unprotected sides drawing blood, before briskly bashing him over the helmet with the hilt of his weapon, sending him grunting and further wounded to the ground.

"Yeah it looks as if...," Leo began before grunting with effort as he slammed his iron sword down across another one of the many soldiers' lances in front of him, the man previously engaged with an Etherthien soldier. The Mercenary used a mix of his dexterity and strength to finish his attack with a long reaching, poking stab attack. The soldier growled in the pain before falling to the ground, allowing the young man to pull his weapon out, spinning it around expertly as he did so. "Their commander ain't very good!" He finally finished in a grin as he placed his iron sword across his shoulders, once more, turning to face his companion. Selthris merely nodded in his hard frown before re-turning back to face the front. Eventually, the soldiers they pushed back very quickly formed a defensive front, standing in front of the slow marching Aselian and Etherthien army. Their shields held upwards to defend their bodies thusly, they moved backwards at a similarly gradual pace, as if animals being cornered.

"Enough!"

Almost as if a hot knife through butter, the voice that rang and echoed throughout the fort, made the groups of men and women stop. Sauntering on through the cracks in the soldier's defences was a solitary man; an older man with short red hair, fitting the similarly flaming coloured robes he wore. The Elfire tome he wielded gave off a glow of red, akin to his robes and hair.

"Are you the enemy commander?" The unnamed Sage requested as he raised his head haughtily, watching the youth in question carefully. Selthris stared back with a hard-eyed glare of his own before finally responding.

"Yes," he answered before briefly continuing to finish. "Sel-" He began before twitching lightly when he heard the tut of his ever reliable Staff Officer behind him. Though he turned his eyes around in a futile attempt to glare at the older man he rectified his sentence. "General Selthris." The youth amended, though not without a lightly annoyed frown to match his firm glare.

"General Selthris is it?" The Sage began as he raised a crimson eyebrow up at the youth strangely before putting on a curious grin. "You wouldn't happen to be... related to...?"

"Yes," Selthris shot back in a lightly annoyed sigh, turning his silver eyes away from the man before briefly returning them back to the unnamed man. "Sathryon Vikeruce; my father."

"Oh, then it's true," the man gasped, widening his eyes and losing his frown. "Could it be? The legendary Sathryon Vikeruce's only son?"

Selthris opted merely to remain silent and allowed his eyes to wander, clearly uninterested.

"If only the Masked Man were here to see this..." The Sage chuckled lowly. Selthris' eyebrows lifted and his eyes themselves widened in surprise; his very passion finally enraptured, he snapped them back to glower at the man.

"Where?!" The High Lord interrupted angrily, watching him akin to a hawk.

"Easy Sel..." Leo chuckled lowly next to the youth, placing a free hand on the boy's right shoulder.

"Oh that catch your attention did it?" The Sage chuckled lowly and seemingly knowingly as he tucked his Elfire tome in his left arm. "So I suppose that little rumour is true also then. He did kill your father, didn't he?" The unnamed Sage claimed as he smirked over at the scowling Selthris. "That look says it all..."

"What's your name." Selthris said; a demand as opposed to a question.

The Sage raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "I'm sorry?"

The young swordsman deftly gave his single edged sword a diagonal whiff swipe as he glared back at the watching enemy commander. "I'd rather know the name of the idiot I'm going to kill before I kill him."

"Lord Selthris!" Ulric immediately interjected with in a similarly hasty manner, rushing forward to join him. "Think this through now!"

"My name is Brighton," the Sage finally introduced himself, a grin upon his lips as he did. Selthris merely stared back at the man wordlessly in the look he wore so well. "You sound very confident, oh Selthris of Aselia," the man claimed in a low chuckle. "How's about a wager?"

Though he did not respond vocally, he raised a silver eyebrow in kind.

"A duel; a fight to the death with me. Just you and I. We may as well save as many lives as we can, hm?" The Sage claimed highly as he bowed in mock respect, a confident smirk upon his expression. Selthris watched him for a few seconds, thoughts deftly phasing in and out of his head.

"There ain't no sure way to say he's gonna stick to that," Leo confirmed with as he leant in through the boy's right. "But the odds are still in our favour."

"I'm against this Lord Selthris," Ulric voiced his disapproval loudly as he stood next to the youth, a hard look on his face. He turned his own glare on the smirking Brighton before continuing. "I feel he is trying to manipulate you in using information of this nemesis of yours."

"It's obvious he is," Selthris corrected angrily, speaking the words he spoke with a similarly annoyed twitch of his scowl before finishing. "But it doesn't matter."

"Why is-?"

"Because I'm better than he is." The High Lord claimed, ever boldened. He stepped forward almost immediately, as if the words themselves carried him. Brighton watched him and his hungry smirk grew with him.

"You're very confident, for one so young," the Sage shot back with a grin and narrow of his eyes, the pair circling each other as if animals in a cage. The remaining Naerithian, Aselian and Etherthien soldiers all watched tensely, unmoving and wordless. "And for the last remaining of his clan." Brighton finished, this time with a low, solid frown. Selthris' own adamantine expression changed none; he merely glared back at the older warrior as he encircled himself around the battle ring they were allowed. The soldiers around them all gradually began to clear, presumably in following of the pair's wishes, giving them more room to battle with.

"What do you know about him?" He suddenly demanded, his voice commanding and uncompromising. Brighton raised a crimson eyebrow upwards in faux curiosity.

"Who would that be?"

Selthris' low scowl suddenly twitched as he slowly paced, a clear show of anger. "You know who."

"I couldn't positively have any idea as to-"

WHOOSH

The super-fast Selthris suddenly appeared in the gasping Sage's front, narrowly missing his head with a diagonal slash of his sword.

"You bounder!" Brighton suddenly exclaimed, his opponent's abrupt interruption drawing out a new sense of anger and rage from the Sage. Brighton quickly leapt backwards in recovery, scowling back at his enemy. "We haven't even started yet, have you no shame?!"

Selthris' wordless frown was all that need be said in response; he gave his sword a whiffing diagonal slash as he watched the angry-expressed fighter before him, advancing on him slowly.

"Well?!" Brighton suddenly exclaimed angrily. "Have you anything to say for yourself?!" The man angrily demanded, eliciting a raised silver eyebrow in response.

"I don't see what the big problem is," Selthris merely shot back as he narrowed his eyes at the man quietly, ever advancing. "Those tactics were the basis of what Naerith used to conquer Aselia, after all."

Even after he spoke the words, the Naerithian soldiers went silent, perhaps with a mix of guilt and anger. The Aselian and Etherthien soldiers all roared with excitement and in agreement with their bold but brave leader. Brighton's low scowl threatened to crack from his face to match growing rage; waving his free right hand around the air, he wove a breeze of blaze with the Elfire tome he carried in his left before re-opening his mouth to respond.

"You will regret speaking those words, boy." Brighton shot back angrily, eyes boring into the suggested young but boldened eyes of his enemy.

\--

5

With an immediate shot of his Elfire tome, Brighton called out in a war cry as he shot off a stream of fire in his opponent's direction however, with the blaze and smoke it created it was difficult to determine whether it even hit its mark or not. As it struck the Naerith soldiers' raised shields however, Brighton caught a glimpse of rushing silver to his far left; his eyes widened and he gasped in the direction, snapping his eyes over to the last known position. The Sage's eyesight was decent but not great; he began to sweat from a mix of effort and growing anxiety. He could barely keep his own vision on the zipping silver blur that was previously his similar expressed enemy, stopping himself from shaking in his stance. Finally however the narrow-eyed Selthris re-appeared in a sudden charge; headed towards him at top speed. Brighton's eyes widened and he back-dashed to gain some extra space before quickly pulling out a short-sword intended for close range combat. The only thing that Brighton could truly confirm of his enemy's was the firm scowl on his face as he approached; an overhead slice attack.

Brighton gasped as he stood up higher to block the high attack, putting on a sudden grin as a wave of relief washed over him. The experience was short-lived however as the silver blur darted around to the man's side, opening his defences up once more. Brighton gasped again as he back-dashed in retreat of his aggressive opponent, this time lowering his weapon to block the hard-frowning Selthris' low confirm. Selthris opted not to let his assault up and further pursued the overwhelmed Sage, kicking up his speed to match the super-fast swipes of his sword. Brighton let out a pained yell as one of the many rapid slices Selthris delivered managed to knock the man's short-sword out of his grip, clipping him across his hand. Visibly drawing blood from it, Brighton dropped his Elfire tome as he bent his now free left hand to cradle his pained right before quickly returning to the battle at hand. Too late however it would seem; the narrow-eyed High Lord caught him in a careering leap of spinning swipes, slices and slashes. Brighton let out a continued yell of pain, eliciting a similar but yet different roar of excitement from the two watching crowds of soldiers.

Perhaps utilising his Aegir though, the growling Brighton exhaled a loud outcry of his own and sent his Aegir as a force of will to push the grunting Selthris backward. The youth back-flipped effortlessly in evasion, landing in a hard-eyed glare. He whiffed a diagonal swipe of his sword as he watched him carefully; Brighton grunted as he landed himself, falling to a single knee from the speed he was forced to act in. Blood dripped from many small wounds he was inflicted with earlier and his vision even became a little blurry as he watched the ground. Brighton's world began to become wavy and shaky and he gagged a little, feeling veritably sickened.

"Feeling the effects, huh?"

The Sage blinked and gasped, forcing his head up in spite of the pain and sickened feeling. He saw a wavy shape of the scowling Selthris staring back at him and couldn't seem to respond; not vocally regardless. He opted to remain silent in fear of perhaps spewing his guts out on the floor.

"Lightning style Aegir's a very useful nature," Selthris spoke once more, his voice echoing and haze-like. "With even just a little, I can expose weaknesses in a person's own nature of Aegir," he explained briefly before gaining a low smirk, perhaps confident. "You never had a chance to even begin with."

"Rgh...," Brighton growled lowly and angrily as he forced himself up to his feet; his opponent's words just the tonic he needed. "How... how dare you..."

Selthris' grin quickly dropped from his face and was replaced by the hard scowl he so preferred once more before, suddenly, he had disappeared.

Just as always.

"N-No-!" Brighton exclaimed, taking a shaky step back, perhaps to avoid the next oncoming attack.

With a hard smack into his low chest, the hilt of Selthris' sword was embedded in the poor Sage's body, sending him grunting a few steps backward. He followed the combination up with a similarly spinning slashing strike across the screaming Sage, sending him sailing and traversing into the ground below him. Lightning encased the blade, as before but this time much more visibly, scorching and scarring the older man. The watching Aselian soldiers all fell silent as they watched, perhaps unable to believe the sudden turn of the match before catching their breaths as the silver haired youth re-appeared standing above the fallen Sage. Bleeding and heavily burned from the lightning damage he inflicted on him earlier, Brighton turned his head shakily to face the swordsman on his top-right. Though his back was faced toward the fallen Sage, Selthris snapped first his sword on the man's neck but then his hard-eyed glare, scowling horribly.

"Finish it...," Brighton managed to gasp out, his voice raspy and ragged presumably from the pain. Selthris merely stared back at the older man, his eyes narrowing harder as he hovered the sword over his neck. "Kill me! You useless has-been of a clan!" The Sage attempted to shout, his voice barely reaching above a whisper. Though the listening and silent soldiers could barely hear him from the side-lines, the listening Selthris glowered down back at him, as if waiting for something. Eventually and just before the angered Sage re-opened his mouth his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he dropped off; seemingly fallen unconscious from the sheer pain and trauma. Selthris' scowl darkened a little as he watched but only temporarily; he suddenly twirled his sword around and stuck it back in its sheath, sliding slowly in before turning and walking back toward the watching and silent soldiers. They all called out loudly in appreciation for their leader; the battle having been won. Kay, George, Leo and even Ulric all watched the hard-faced Selthris walk toward them, a worried expression on their faces.

"We're done here," the High Lord greeted quickly as he stopped in front of the four, his frown as hard as before. "Give him over to them and we'll set up camp here." He finished, drawing an agreeing nod from the frowning group before walking off away from them, towards the soldiers themselves. The nameless soldiers all chanted the youth's name continually in a show of high morale, slapping the unchanging expressed youth across his shoulder as he passed them. Tina walked to join the group of four, tracing the boy's walk off.

"He wasn't gonna kill that guy, was he?" The Pegasus Knight asked the group. Though Kay, George and even Ulric all looked away, presumably unable to answer positively, Leo turned to smile back at her and shook his head in response.

"Nah, he wouldn't do that; not in cold blood," the Mercenary answered for her in a warm smile. "It's not his style."

"They did agree to it though." George spoke up with in a frown of his own, perhaps worried.

"That doesn't necessarily mean one can kill as quickly as all that," Ulric shot back however as he also watched the disappearing boy. "Sparring with comrades is one thing... taking one's life is another." The Paladin wisely explained briefly as he narrowed his eyes.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Leo smiled alongside the contrastingly frowning Ulric as he turned to leave, presumably to attend to the matter given to him. Tina put on a warm smile alongside him as she joined him.

Kay and George however couldn't help exchanging a similarly worried frown with one another as they listened, seemingly unconvinced.


	16. Forbidden Knowledge

Chapter 16: Forbidden Knowledge – A Glimpse into the Past  
Search for the Missing Tomb Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Eternal Bond" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Firelink Shrine" – Dark Souls III OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).

\--

In a fairly straightforward rush-down focus of their overwhelming number of soldiers, the conjoined Aselian and Etherthien forces manage to break through the defence at Naerith's Fort Stormholme and easier than previously expected. Having been challenged by the fort's leader, Brighton the Sage, Selthris makes short work of the overconfident commander, allowing them to chase the rest of the Naerith force out of the building. Setting up their camp around the fort in a defensive front, they begin to ready themselves for yet another march of their forces into hard, enemy territory. As the early flakes of snow's winter drop down on their sky-blue and dark-purple coloured armour, they take breaks in between to recover and conserve their strength in case of obvious ambushes.

It is only during one such rest that Selthris' Aselian force receive a strange visitor during the chilly, lonely night...

\--

Scene 1

"All right!" Selthris called aloud as he turned on the many men marching behind him, silver eyes narrowed at them all. He lowered his arm in an obvious gesture for the soldiers to lay down their defensive fronts even if temporarily. "That's far enough I think," the High Lord claimed lowly as he turned his eyes back on the road ahead of them, eyes narrowed, presumably thinking. He turned back to the previously marching men and frowned hard back them as he continued. "Take some rations, restore your stamina; we leave when we're all ready." He spoke in a hard, demanding tone of voice before turning, presumably to be by himself. The soldiers, morale raised from their commander's use of time, all began to talk amongst one another, smiles and all. Kay and George watched on after their leaving commander as he marched onwards up a hill, presumably to look down and act as temporary watch. Leo joined the pair of Cavaliers and sighed through his nose as he watched his close companion, catching the pair's attention.

"We're worried about him," Kay spoke up as she turned her chestnut brown eyes down to the Mercenary's limpid own. "He seems so far off most of the time; it's like he's a different person."

"Kay!" George chided in a light whisper. "He's still our commander," the Cavalier added in annoyance, earning a rolling-eyed frown from his elder sister. "Remember; even when Lord Sathryon was like this we never questioned it."

"Maybe that's part of why he died..." Kay muttered in response, eyes rolling and obviously in annoyance. George watched her in an annoyed frown of his own before turning to face the similarly frowning Leo.

"You know him best, don't you?" The Cavalier asked, drawing the surprised Mercenary's eyes upward; his eyebrows rose to match with his reaction. "Is this off for him or...?"

"Mm...," Leo began lowly and thoughtfully, his eyes slowly scanning back to rest on the now sitting form of Selthris, his sheathed sword kept held up next to him. "Yeah; it is."

"You see?" Kay hissed back angrily, turning her frown back on her younger brother with a narrow-eyed scowl. "That's not Sel up there!"

"What are you all talking about?"

The trio let out surprised gasps and 'rounded on a frowning and blinking Tina staring back at them. They all exchanged similar looks, almost as if unwilling and unsure whether to respond.

"It's not about...," the teal haired Pegasus Knight began as she nodded her head upwards at the far-off sitting Selthris. "Him, is it?"

Leo was the only one to nod in response though lightly as he did so.

"I don't blame any of you," the young woman chuckled good humouredly as she folded her arms and tilted her head in his direction. "He's weird. Won't even talk to me."

"He wasn't always like this," Kay shot back in light annoyance, perhaps at the young woman's comments before turning sadly back on the far-off boy. "I think, after the boss died he just..."

"Boss?" Tina parroted, blinking in puzzlement.

Leo faced her and frowned back at the Pegasus Knight. "Our commander before Selthris was his father, Sathryon," he explained briefly; Tina's eyes lit up in recognition, as if she'd heard the name before. "It was the leader of Naerith's Renegade Saints."

"You mean... Silvermoon?" She answered quickly, eliciting raised eyebrows from the group of three.

"Silver... moon?" George parroted curiously.

"Yeah," the Pegasus Knight confirmed, nodding as she re-folded her arms and elaborated further. "That's what they call him in Etherthien; no-one knows his true name. They say he wears a mask during battles."

"Mm," Leo agreed, nodding in response. "That's him."

"Narga above," Tina whispered, blinking in shock as she turned her eyes back up to the resting Selthris. "B-But wasn't Lord Sathryon supposed to be the greatest fighter ever?"

"I remember those days."

The group, again, turned to find the smiling form of Ulric joining them.

"They called him 'the greatest living soldier in the world' for his incredible military feats," the veteran Paladin recounted as he pinched his well-trimmed moustache. "It seemed there was truly no-one that could challenge him in his prime." Ulric chuckled in his recitation, half-amused but nevertheless, positively recounting the past.

"So then...," Tina began as she turned back to the group of three. "Who is the Masked Man?"

"No-one really knows," Leo answered shaking his head before re-turning back to watch the sitting and silent form of Selthris. "I think he's why Sel's like this."

"What is this idle gossip?" Ulric questioned in light annoyance, turning a disapproving frown on the group of Aselian and Etherthien soldiers. Kay winced lightly in response, almost as if a reflex action from youth. "You aren't all questioning our commander, are you?"

"No, Ulric," Leo shot back in a chuckled, amused grin. "We're just worried about him, that's all."

"Mm... yes I can certainly understand that," the Paladin agreed with, nodding as he folded his arms thoughtfully. "I would think Lord Selthris' reaction is understandable though, wouldn't you?"

The group remained silent as they watched the older soldier, perhaps unconvinced. The Paladin saw this and attempted to cut through the tension with a good natured laugh.

"Come now, I am sure he is not completely lost to us all."

It was George's turn to nod in agreement however and he did so with a seemingly confident frown. "Yes Ulric-sensei," he said, nodding as he left, presumably to re-join his commanding officer. "I am sure we are worried for nothing."

"Exactly!" The Paladin exclaimed, this time in high morale. "Now come and re-join our fellow soldiers!" The man continued with a light grin, joined by his ever loyal Cavalier. Kay, Tina and Leo were left behind however, frowns on all their faces.

"I'm not convinced," the blonde young woman responded, presumably to herself more than the leaving pair as she shook her head, turning it on the two next to her. "It just ain't right."

"Well, I mean," the Pegasus Knight began with a light chuckle as she shrugged. "Wasn't he always like this?" She asked, raising a teal eyebrow upwards. "He seems like a loner type, kinda weird if you ask me."

"Well, yeah, but...," Leo began in response as he lowered his own eyes in thought. "He always at least had a smile on his face, even if it was fake."

"You sound like you know him well," Tina chuckled, raising another eyebrow at the youth. "How long you known him?"

"All our lives," the Mercenary answered in a chuckle of his own, light smile and all. "I think I might be his only friend actually."

"How about I go see how he's doin' for you?" Tina offered in a light smile, drawing a surprised look from the youth. "What, you think it'd be better if you went instead?"

"Mm... maybe not," Leo answered in a hard frown as he turned once again to face the sitting Selthris. He turned back once more to face the older youth, opting a light yet defeated smile of his own. "I don't imagine he'd have the patience to give me any fake courtesy."

Tina couldn't help but laugh at his words and shook her head. "You owe me." She threw over her shoulder as she walked up the small hill. Leo watched on after her, his own grin slowly devolving back into a worried frown.

She has no idea what she's in for, he thought.

~

Even as she walked up the small incline her nerves began to itch at her.

What would she say to him?

He had already turned away from not once but numerous times already.

Tina shook her head and attempted to think positive thoughts.

"Hey!" She called, a bright smile adorned on her expression; the narrow-eyed Selthris snapped his silver-haired head around and gripped at the sheathed sword on his side before rolling his similarly silver eyes and slowly turning back to face the far field ahead. "W-What?" She asked him, unsure.

"What did you need?" The High Lord quickly demanded, a low tone of voice. Her nerves began to play at her again and she fidgeted as if being examined by him somehow.

"U-Um I just wanted to check on y-"

"I'm fine," the younger fighter shot back suddenly, interrupting her softly but with firmness in his voice. He half-turned his head so one of his eyes was on hers. "I can keep watch; I don't mind, honestly." He added, perhaps in an attempt to placate his comrade's mind however, his tone of voice almost seemed to suggest a different meaning.

"Are you... sure?" Tina asked as she watched him up and down, worried thoughts rising and falling throughout her head. The hard, dark look in his eye didn't sit well with her. "I could... keep you company?"

"No, I'm fine," the High Lord responded, his voice cold and as low as had been before. He turned his silver-haired head back to face the far reaches of the Naerith field before him. "Besides," he added lowly before slowly turning his head back to face hers. A light grin formed on his face; an upturned side of his mouth as he spoke the next words. "I don't imagine I'm your type." He shot over jokingly, his grin emphasising his words. She couldn't help but laugh, even if nervously in response.

"Sel!"

The pair's eyes widened and turned simultaneously to find the frowning faced Leo, staring back at them. He nodded his head back the way he presumably came.

"Chick from Etherthien here to see you; asked for you specifically." The Mercenary claimed in his business-like frown.

"All right," Selthris answered lightly, a frown of his own adorned. "I'm coming." He finished, allowing his close companion to turn and walk off back toward camp.

\--

2

"Knight Sevana of the tenth brigade, General Selthris!" The young woman exclaimed loudly, saluting at the named youth himself. Selthris raised a curious silver eyebrow at her and waved her off, as if to set her at ease. She relaxed her stance but still remained at the ready.

"What's so important that King Alaric had to send you himself?" The High Lord responded quickly, curious expressed as he did so.

"Ah, um, I... would, General but...," Sevana began as she turned her head around, presumably pointing toward the watching soldiers setup at camp. "This message was intended for your ears only." She insisted, frowning back at him. Selthris traced her stares and nodded before turning to walk a few safe steps away.

"All right," Selthris began again before turning himself back to face the woman behind him. "Now what's the message?"

"I was ordered to... give you these." Sevana spoke up in response as she reached into the small bag on her waist, pulling out a small necklace with a simple and similarly small bronze medallion attached to it. A small Etherthien stamped letter followed it. Even as his eyes laid on the necklace, his nerves began to play up and he wondered why.

Why would they...?

"W-What are they?" He asked as he gratefully took the pair from the young woman, eyes narrowing down at them. His eyes shot back up to her as she responded.

She merely shook her brown-haired head at him, unsure. "I am certain that I cannot say, General; our higher ups informed me only to give you these. I think there may be information inside the letter." She claimed, pointing to the white and red stamped letter in question. Selthris stared down at it and blinked once before nodding as he re-raised his head to face the Pegasus Knight.

"All right... thank you. I know there was some risk involved in this."

"It was nothing," Sevana shot back confidently, shaking her head in a light smile before standing to attention once more; shooting up her posture and an arm to rest on her forehead in a mindful salute. "May I be excused from my duty, General?"

Selthris couldn't help but put on a light grin as he waved the woman off, shaking his head. "You've done far more than necessary; thanks," he thanked before turning, presumably to walk off by himself. He raised his free left arm to wave at the blinking, surprised woman. "Give your unit and your king my thanks for me, will you?"

~

Lord Selthris Vikeruce

First off, I would like to apologise for how late this may be getting to you and for not doing this when you were with us in Etherthien. Things have been rather hectic here after the civil war but I won't even pretend to hide behind that falsity. In the past days since your excursion, Sohantha's Empress, it would appear, has learned of your successful departure and recruitment into the royal house of Etherthien. She has sent me this necklace, I imagine, intended for you and you alone. She did not choose to tell me what it was, only, that it was an object of immense importance.

She calls it the 'Fire Emblem'.

Regardless I send this to you under her directions, in part to keep our friendly relationship with the empire and in part to hopefully assist you in your quest. This may have something to do with a letter that was left to you by your father.

Selthris' silver eyes shot wide open as he read those last letters.

What...?

I apologise; your father, Lord Sathryon and I, were good friends. He asked me if anything were to happen to him to look after you; it was only recently that I learned an unknown masked knight of Naerith had killed him. Since then when you showed up on my doorstep, I should have known what had happened. I have failed both him and you and for that, I apologise once more.

But I digress.

I have made certain that our best flier has delivered both of these objects to you and with as much haste as possible. While I am sure you will become as strong as your father I hope you will also come into your own person, eventually.

Your god-father,

Alaric of Etherthien.

Quickly folding up the Etherthien king's letter into his pocket, he went into the rest of the envelope and found a second letter.

His eyes widened once more as he recognised the handwriting on the front.

His father's.

Selthris

"Father...?" Selthris murmured out, blinking out a single tear. He sniffed angrily and wiped away at it, forcing himself away from such thoughts.

I am writing to you through this fairly early; I am not so certain as to what may happen, but this very tome has told me so. When you read this I have made certain that things will be fine for you; I realise you are more suited to politics than to battle like I always was but if, by chance, the things that are described in this book do come true... heed this warning. If what I suspect true then I shall die a few years from now, from writing this very message I relay back to you in the future; a masked general from Naerith. I cannot tell you who it is, but I have my suspicions; this person kills me in cold blood and drives you down a path of blind vengeance. You will die in the final confrontation if you do not heed my final warning in this tome.

Stop.

Just stop fighting Selthris. You were never suited to this anyway and I imagine even now while you read this you agree with me. If, however, you cannot stop... if Naerith have attacked again as I had imagined... then read closely. I have hidden away the final vestiges of my Aegir in Naerith near Archmouth Caves; a gamble but a well-founded one, I am certain it has not yet been found. Even if it has, your Fire Emblem is the only key that will open the tomb. Tomb of the former Vikeruce. Our ancestors lie in there, Selthris. I have hidden away the remains of my Quintessence; it will grant you much, much power but at great cost.

You may only use this specific Aegir once.

After that it will be gone... but it will grant you immense strength; strength of the fabled one described in this book, the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide. It is said our ancestor's Aegir has all collected together so you will not just be gaining mine; you will be gaining much more. If you absolutely must fight... then use this Aegir. It is the only way visible I see you alive after fighting this masked general in Naerith. Your friend Leo will guide you; trust him. He is your only true companion. Selthris... for years I was certain that I was the Child of the Prophecy mentioned in these legends but to no avail. Then I thought perhaps Staciel was but... no. I see it now.

You are the Child of the Prophecy, Selthris.

While you do not meet the requirements I firmly believe in you, my son. I was never very good at affection but... I am so deathly sorry for the way I treated you in your childhood. I am sorry for ignoring your mother's influence and for running you ragged in training.

To my only son; the only man I've ever loved.

Sathryon Vikeruce.

His breath caught in his throat as he barely managed to process everything written down.

How did he know all of this?

Legends?

The Child of the Prophecy?

He picked up the necklace Sevana had given him just five minutes prior and narrowed his silver eyes down at it before gripping at it lightly with his fingers.

"Archmouth Caves...," he began, more to himself than to anyone else as he quickly ran his eyes down the familiar handwriting once more. "Father..."

"That's close-by."

The youth gasped and cursed to himself, angry at himself for letting someone sneak up on him. He snapped his eyes and head 'round before suddenly settling himself down as he recognised the folded armed stance of his close companion.

Leo.

Who else would it be, he thought to himself.

"I still got it," the Mercenary broke the ice once more, this time with a light grin as he advanced on the sitting youth. He plonked himself down next to him and put on a business-like frown as he usually did during serious moments like these. "So... is it the letter?"

Selthris turned his suspicious silver-eyed frown back on his companion but nodded in response. Leo nodded slowly back in reply, almost as if expecting it.

"Yeah, I thought as much," he sighed lightly, lowering his vision as he did so. When Selthris opened his mouth to ask, Leo merely continued. "I'm sorry for, y'know, keeping this to myself," the Mercenary claimed in a light frown of his own. Selthris watched him carefully, as if for signs of lying, allowing him to continue on. "It was one of the final jobs your dad gave me."

"But why would he...?"

"The boss was certain that he was gonna die," Leo quickly answered, a hard quality in his eyes to match the frown that remained constant on his face. Selthris' eyes widened as he listened. Though he had just read this in the letter provided to him, it still shocked him to hear it aloud. "Don't ask me how... I have no idea," he continued on as he shook his head, unsure. "He asked me to tell you of all this when I thought you were ready."

Selthris raised a curious silver eyebrow upwards in questioning.

"I know," the Mercenary merely laughed, rubbing the back of his head as he did so. "You had so much on your plate; what with Etherthien's civil war, Aselia's conquering and with the boss dying I just...," he began again before shaking his head and sighing again. "I'm sorry; it's no real excuse but..."

"No...," Selthris agreed with the older soldier, shaking his own head as he turned his eyes away, presumably in thought. "I get it; you're the only one here that even cares anyway. I don't imagine it was a knee-jerk decision to do."

Leo couldn't help but put on a lightly amused half-turn of his usual grin. "Come on, I'm sure Kay, George and the others care?"

Selthris didn't answer, he continued to stare down at the grassy field they sat upon before he re-raised his eyes upward.

"What?" The Mercenary asked, this time his turn to raise his eyebrow in curiosity.

"You said Archmouth Caves was nearby...," he began in response, staring ahead before gradually turning back to frown at the Mercenary. "Didn't you?"

Leo's eyes widened and he couldn't help but laugh. "You aren't serious-"

Selthris merely nodded before turning his eyes back forward once more. "I have to know, Leo," he claimed as he narrowed his eyes in his stare. "It was important enough for my father to write this."

"Why do you always think you're alone?" Leo shot back, his tone one of annoyance. Selthris turned back in his frown to look back with a mildly surprised expression. "For Narga's sake you could get ambushed on the way down the-"

"I'll be fine," the High Lord interrupted suddenly, a harder frown on his expression as he did so. "I always am... right?"

Leo sighed, rolling his eyes. "At least let me go with you?"

Selthris couldn't help but chuckle lowly and nodded in response. "Yeah, if you really want to," he answered before grunting as he stood back up. He grasped the small medallion in his left hand, looking down on it before quickly affixing it around his neck and pocketing the second letter gifted to him by his father. "What do we tell the rest of 'em?"

"I'll go let 'em know," Leo answered as he forced himself back up, dusting himself off before turning to leave. He snapped himself around to thrust an accusing finger at the High Lord however, eyes narrowed. "Don't leave without me." He warned in light annoyance. Selthris couldn't help but grin lightly back, nodding. Leo put on his own grin in response before turning to leave, presumably to inform the group. Now left alone, Selthris turned his new-found frown back on the open field before him, his father's words ever echoing in the back of his mind.

Child of the Prophecy.

\--

3

"Are we sure this place can even be opened...?" Leo murmured aloud as he stood outside strange entrance to the supposed Archmouth Caves. His eyes scanned the large open field before him, acting as a watch.

"As long as...," Selthris began lowly as he raised the small necklace's medallion, lifted from his neck, toward the small indentation in the large rock above. His eyes narrowed as he concentrated and, like magic, it fit. His eyes widened as the rock began to move, rumbling loudly and almost uncontrollably. "Yes!" The youth grinned out excitedly as he watched it rise, small rocks and dust kicked up from the action. Leo joined him as he cringed from the loud noise.

"For Narga's sake, everyone's gonna hear that!" He exclaimed above the din of the huge rock. "We'll have everyone from camp on us!"

"No we won't!" Selthris shot back angrily as he turned his hard-eyed frown on the older youth before re-turning back to frown forward. "I'll go in here by myself if I have to." The High Lord finished, barely above a hard hiss. Leo's ears strained just to hear him and as his old companion marched on in on his lonesome, the Mercenary followed out of duty.

"Just... be careful, okay?" Leo murmured out as he walked alongside his friend, eyes watching the dark outlines around them, unable to see much of anything. His suspicious gaze was held true only by his similarly worked nerves. "I don't like this."

"You're welcome to return to camp."

Surprised, Leo turned his blinking eyes on the younger fighter next to him and caught the outline of a grin on his face. The Mercenary couldn't help but smirk back in reply.

"I'd just be lettin' you have all the fun, then wouldn't I?" He chuckled knowingly.

Finally they began to see light at the end of the tunnel and had to raise their arms to shield themselves from the gradual glow of the well maintained torches. Their eyes finally adjusting to the small room they had managed to enter, they allowed their eyes to scan around only to find numerous graves, all marked with names.

"What the...?" Leo murmured aloud as he blinked once more in curiosity. "Is this a tomb...?"

"Yeah...," Selthris began in light reply as he stepped forward to count the graves. "I think so." He finished as he mouthed each number of grave he counted. He ended at four. It would appear, though he did not recognise most of these names, they were all buried in twos.

Syrus & Sayru Vikeruce

Selenia & Sepherene Vikeruce

The Sorcerer of the Divine Divide

Selthris and Staciel Vikeruce

Selthris' silver eyes shot wide open and he gasped.

His own grave?

But why?

Staciel Vikeruce...?

Who...?

"Let's talk... Selthris Vikeruce."

~

Initially disorientated, Selthris gasped and snapped his head around, as if looking for familiarity and to make sense of the situation. He seemed to stand in a plain of nothingness somehow and, in front of him, levitated a shadowed man. Seemingly either through sheer force of will, some kind of power of maybe through the use of his own Aegir, he levitated in mid-air in a meditative position.

"W-Wha-?" Selthris managed out, taking a step back, blinking in shock. The darkened shadow shook its head as it floated wordlessly and seemingly opened its mouth to respond.

"Please, do not lose your sense of reason; your well-being is fine I promise you." The unnamed shadow claimed, its voice a deep one.

A man's?

"You are Selthris Vikeruce, no?"

The youth's hard-eyed glare re-turned back to face on the nameless shadow before him. He glared back at him wordlessly as if attempting to work out his identity.

"My identity is of no consequence."

Selthris' eyes widened in further shock.

Did he just-?

"What year is it?" The shadow merely asked, neither elaborating nor opting to explain. Selthris watched him carefully, eyes narrowed and all.

"706." The youth shot back, glaring suspiciously.

"I see," the shadow murmured lowly, his voice echoing in the long space before them. "Then you must be the current incarnation."

"The current what?"

"This may come as a shock to you... Selthris Vikeruce, but you and I are of the same clan," the shadow claimed boldly, eliciting a pair of raised eyebrows from the listening youth. "We are kin to one another."

"Same clan...," Selthris parroted lightly as he narrowed his silver eyes at the dark outline. His eyes widened as he quickly added up the dots from his lectures and lessons. "You can't be...?"

The shadow remained wordless and merely listened, as if waiting for him to continue.

"Are you him?" Selthris questioned suddenly as he leaned forward, clenching one of his fists tightly. "The first of us?"

Again, the shadow seemed to opt to remain silent however, his eyes, a peculiar ripple-like effect in them, clearly shut in response. Selthris' own eyes widened, almost as if hitting a bullseye.

"You're him! The Sorcerer of the Divine Divide! The winner of the war! You're the man that created Aegir Art!" Selthris exclaimed loudly, his voice knocking off the invisible walls of the space they inhabited. "I have so many questions for y-"

"No," the shadow, this time, opted to interrupt. His eyes re-opened to reveal the strange ripple-like purple colour in them as he continued on. "The Sainted Three created Aegir. All I did was spread its teachings."

"But then... weren't you...?"

"It doesn't matter who I am," the Sorcerer interrupted once more as he seemingly frowned back at the youth. "You are here for a reason."

Selthris, this time, opted to remain silent and nodded, awaiting his next words.

"I must hear from you first, however, before I reveal anything more to you," the shadow spoke, his voice hard and demanding. Selthris' own eyes narrowed back as he listened. "Why are you here?"

The youth's eyes re-widened once more in surprise, the question almost taking him off guard.

"I um...," he began lowly in response as he lowered his head in presumable thought. "My father, he... he wrote a letter and..."

"Sathryon Vikeruce?" The Sorcerer asked, seemingly for clarification. Selthris nodded in response. "Go on?"

"Power," the youth finally answered, seemingly opting to throw his intentions out in the open, shooting his silver eyes back to glare up at the darkened shadow before him. "That's why I'm here."

"Power?" The Sorcerer parroted, seemingly raising an eyebrow behind his shadow. "What would you need...?"

"My father was-"

"Murdered, yes," the Sorcerer interrupted once more but calmly and softly. "You chase a masked general of Naerith, do you not?"

A corner of Selthris' scowl suddenly twitched as he listened before nodding slowly. "Yes." He merely answered with, glaring back as he did so.

"For your father's death, I imagine," the Sorcerer sighed through his nose as he spoke, visibly tired. Selthris merely watched him wordlessly. "What makes you think you can find power here?"

"My father's letter stipulated that he left the rest of his Aegir here, for me to use," Selthris shot back as he leant to the side, eyeing the Sorcerer with as much conviction as he would any man. "I have as much right to that as you would your kin."

The Sorcerer remained silent for a few seconds, as if pondering the youth's very words before, finally, opening his mouth to respond.

"So... Sathryon believed that you are the Child of the Prophecy," he claimed boldly, as if reading his mind once more. Selthris' eyes widened in his leant position, surprised, even in spite of previous events. "And yet... it is just as before."

Selthris' silver eyebrow shot up in curiosity. "Just as... before...?"

"It is not my first time seeing this, Selthris Vikeruce," the Sorcerer declared, seemingly frowning hard beneath the shadow he was given. "Our clan is one of ruin and all you are doing with this strength of Aegir ages past, is adding yet another dark page to our history."

Selthris' scowl returned and with greater fervour than before. "How would you know? With the way my life has been I-"

"I know how your life has been, young Selthris," the Sorcerer interrupted once more, causing a surprised gasp to elicit from the youth. "I may be old but I am also well attuned to using my Aegir."

Though he lost the hard strength of his previous scowl, Selthris' conviction was laid bare with the next firm frown he put on. "Even still... the Masked Man has killed my father; I will take his life," the youth promised, hissing in his hard voice. "Or die trying."

The Sorcerer watched him for a second before visibly shutting his purple and ripple-like eyes and shaking his head, seemingly in disappointment. "Very well then, inheritor," the wise old man spoke before continuing. "You shall have the vengeance you seek," he claimed as he raised a single arm into the air, index finger first. Selthris' own eyes widened in surprise in his leant position as he listened. "However...," the Sorcerer continued, cutting himself off as if for effect. Selthris' own eyes were drawn into the Sorcerer's purple ripples. "The path you walk on has no end. Every inch of ground that you step on shall be claimed with the corpses of those closest to you. You shall have no peace...," he explained briefly and cryptically as a bright purple aura began to encircle his shadowed outline; a clear indication of his Aegir. Selthris watched the man wordlessly, a hard scowl on his features as always. "Sathryon, I'm afraid you're wrong," the Sorcerer spoke, this time presumably not to the glaring boy in front of him. As Selthris listened, his silver eyes widened. "This boy stained with boundless anger and pure hatred cannot truly be the Child of the Prophecy; the one destined to lead our ruined clan from the ashes."

"Child of the... Prophecy...?" Selthris mouthed quietly to himself, narrowed eyes and all. "What are you talking about?!" He demanded angrily, this time loudly, his voice reverberating across the invisible walls of the dimension they resided in.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with... oh Selthris of Aselia," the sage-like warrior claimed before raising up a forefinger along with his index. The purple Aegir that encircled him very quickly began to snake down to the ground and then grasped at the wide-eyed boy's shoes. Though he gasped and took a wary step back the Aegir itself opted not to slow its ascent into his body. "Do not fear this; this Aegir will give you the power you so desire and will need to eliminate your most despised enemy."

Even as he listened, Selthris' eyes shot up in understanding before, finally nodding and opening his arms up in an embrace. When he shut his eyes roughly, a bright light engulfed his vision as the Quintessence surrounded every inch of him. The Sorcerer of the Divine Divide's heavy words filled his mind as the light engulfed his senses alongside the euphoric sense of power he was given with the Aegir.

"My spirit... will always be watching you... my son."

\--

4

"...thris!"

Selthris' eyes burst wide open with alarm, just as before. He gasped as he dropped to one knee, his senses easily overwhelmed.

"W-Wha...?" The Vikeruce heir gasped out, his vision blurred. It began to gradually return to normal as he re-raised his head; he found the concerned-expressed face of Leo as he had half-expected. "L-Leo..." The youth managed out in a pained grunt, using his free right hand to rest on his temple; pinching the skin between his eyes in a show of his headache.

"Yeah, it's me," the Mercenary laughed in response, a kind of worried tone to his voice. "Are you all right?"

"Um... yes I... suppose so," the High Lord replied back before re-facing the older youth, allowing him to help him up. "What exactly happened?"

"You stood like that for... quite a while," he explained briefly as he examined the youth suspiciously. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I have to be, don't I?" Selthris grunted back as he pinched the skin between his eyes in a show of pain before shaking his head in a vain attempt to rid himself of it. "So I blacked out?"

"Looked like it," Leo nodded, raising a curious eyebrow. "What happened, what did you see?"

The High Lord looked thoughtful for a few seconds as he turned his eyes over to the grave he once placed his hand on. Cold to the touch as he had half-expected, he pulled his grip away from it, the sensation gone. His eyes quickly scanned the name of the grave he had touched.

The Sorcerer of the Divine Divide

"Nothing," he merely answered, his eyes watching the letters strangely before quickly turning back to face the surprised-faced Mercenary. He shook his head as if for effect. "Nothing at all, it's fine," he added in a light turn of his mouth; an attempt at a smile, as if to placate his friend. He turned, presumably to leave the tomb. Leo stared after him, a half-hurt, half puzzled expression on his face. Selthris raised his right arm to wave at his older companion behind him, as if in some greeting. "Come on; you're always saying we shouldn't make 'em worry."

Leo watched the young swordsman walk off for a second before finally nodding, his eyes still hard and suspicious and his mouth still turned in a frown. "Mm..."

~

The Vikeruce Terminus

Even as he lay perched on the small incline he once inhabited after returning to camp, Selthris' hard silver eyes scanned down at the big leather bound book in his possession. Having managed to sneak it out of the tomb before shutting the large rock door behind him, he also managed to hide it from his close companion's eyes.

He hadn't seen Leo that suspicious in a while however.

Maybe I should have told him something, he thought to himself.

Ridding himself of the thought however with a sudden shake of his head he used his necklace to open up the tome. It almost seemed to creak open and he winced at the dust that lay inside, obviously having not been opened in a long, long time. His silver eyes quickly moved down to scan the first page of the strange large book.

Prologue:  
Age: Year ?

In the beginning, the Sainted Three created heaven and earth. The Goddess of Power cultivated the land and gave form to the red earth. The Goddess of Wisdom deigned her insight onto the red earth and gave spirit of law to the world. The Goddess of Courage generated all life-forms who would uphold this law. Their labours completed, the Sainted Three departed, leaving behind the Fire Emblem and the ancient art of Aegir as proof of their existence.

One of Selthris' silver eyebrows shot up in curiosity as he read these paragraphs.

This wasn't taught in his lessons... was it...?

He remembered a few mentioning's of 'The Sainted Three' but nothing this grandiose. He opted to turn the next page, narrowed eyes and all.

Chapter 1:  
Age: Year 100-110

While under protection of Aegir, those loyal to the Sainted Three practice their religion with relative peace.

However, a group of thieves desperate for secrets pertaining to the religion, turn on their protectors and instigate a rebellion. Some dragons follow suit and form their ranks against the Sainted Alliance. Under the leadership of an unknown soldier, the Sorcerer, the Sainted Alliance take victory and successfully rout the Rebel Alliance. With immense control over the use of Aegir, the Sorcerer manages to find a way to minimise casualties – both human and dragon. Inspired by the rebellion, countless other factions in Dracolius take arms against the Sainted's military. Using the rest of his military force, the Sorcerer manages to quell this uprising though not without many casualties this time, due to the interference of two powerful individuals. Among these casualties are the two twin sons of the Sorcerer, who it would seem led this rebellion. The Sorcerer passes his skills and knowledge of Aegir on to the people around him, laying the foundation for the land of Dracolius. For his contribution to the land, it is said the Sainted Three themselves descended from heaven and bestowed the Sorcerer and his allies further strength and a single title fit for their leader – Sorcerer of the Divine Divide.

His eyes widened as he finished the next part. Having just met and discussed some of these issues with the Sorcerer himself he couldn't believe his luck.

"But then... what about...?" He began, more to himself in pondering than anything. He continued to read down further only to find the letters suddenly making little to no sense whatsoever.

What in the name...?

The letters seemed to all be in a different language the further he went down the page. Turning it to the next entry he found much the same problem; he couldn't even manage to read the beginning.

"Damn it!" He hissed quietly and angrily to himself. He had all the answers that he, his father and presumably the rest of his clan needed before they all died... and he couldn't even read them.

"What's wrong?"

The youth's silver eyes shot open again in surprise and he snapped his head around to find the frowning faced Tina watching him carefully. He quickly regarded his own position; sitting cross-legged on the small hill he once sat on before, a book in his lap.

He must have looked quite suspicious indeed.

"U-Um, n-nothing," he managed to answer in response, his eyes darting around, almost as if for an excuse somehow. "W-Who sent you?"

"Leo," the Pegasus Knight answered in a nervous chuckle, rubbing her right arm as she did so. "He asked me to check up on you since you're on your lonesome out here."

Selthris nodded in response, his frown still on his face. "I'm... fine. Thanks though," he replied, eliciting an unconvinced but obliging nod from the older soldier. "I'll re-join you all in a little while." He added finally and, this time, in an attempt at a light smile. She smiled back in response and nodded before turning, presumably to leave back for camp. Finally alone once more, Selthris turned his eyes back down on the book in his lap and let loose a low sigh before slowly shutting it.

Maybe he could sort it out later.

He raised his head and narrowed his eyes forward at the open field before him, as if examining.

So long as they receive no unwanted ambush visitors... there was a full, open field for him to practice his new training in. His eyes narrowed and, as he stood up and placed the large tome in his tabard, he stepped forward, hungry and wanting. His father's, the Sorcerer's and many others' Aegir from his clan burned fiercely within him; a reminder of the one-time use strength with which he had been gifted previously. Even with it however, he had sat there contemplating on a way possible to use this to the best effective way; finally, maybe there was a way, he thought to himself. As he marched forward on his lonesome, his eyes watched the dark night air firmly; he spun his right fingers around with his right hand, perhaps the calm before his own storm.

All right... he thought.

It's time to work


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Stratagem of an Oppressive Rule  
Mastering the Monarch Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.  
Featured Music: "Urgency Drives Us" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Dizzy Maniac" - Black Lagoon - Roberta's Blood Trail OST. Scene 3 (First Half).

\--

Having just unlocked the previously unknown mysteries of the Vikeruce tomb in Naerith's Archmouth Caves, Selthris learns grave and surprising truths about his clan.

All of this has played out before.

So the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide tells him; said to be the first of his clan and a distant relative. Somehow convincing him to relinquish his father's – and others' – Aegir to him to assist him in his quest of vengeance, Selthris very quickly devises a way to use this effectively as his father has instructed him to. Available for use merely in a one-time scenario, Selthris knows that he cannot just use this fabled strength haphazardly; he opts to temporarily shelve the Quintessence away for use much later in his fated engagement with his father's killer, the Masked Man. Until then he works tirelessly to find a way to utilise this essence effectively enough to achieve his ends. With no time to even ponder the other matters that also plague his mind – the legend of the 'Child of the Prophecy' and the Sorcerer's suspicious statements – he merely puts all of his focus into mastering his new technique.

Meanwhile, in Naerith, it would appear the top brass have finally learned of Aselia's increased military strength alongside Etherthien as a result of their civil war coming to a close. Although King Alpheus has yet to amend his communication rule with the rest of his military forces, it would appear the higher ups are finally compelled to take action in response to Fort Stormholme's subjugation. Meeting with his ever reliable unit, Naerith's Renegade Saints, General Cain quietly ponders to himself of the country's current affairs and of his long-standing rival, now deceased...

\--

Scene 1

"General!"

Cain shot a hard-frowning nod over to one of the many nameless soldiers he passed by on the way through Castle Naesbray, his mind quickly returned to the last duel he had with the now deceased Sathryon Vikeruce. As if returning to memories of ages past he couldn't help but torture himself so over his failed engagement with his new-found rival. He had gained the Aegir Affinity advantage, – Earth over Lightning – he should have been on equal footing when it came to battle experience and even had the weapon advantage over the man; his lance over Sathryon's sword.

So then why?

"I was simply the better warrior... that is all there is to it."

Even now he could see the smug faced Lord Knight's face leering back at him through his mind to match the overconfident tone his words were spoken in.

"Damn you...," he spoke to no-one in particular as he stomped down one of the many corridors of Naesbray Castle, 'rounding a corner angrily. "Rat of a dying clan." He cursed, more to himself than to anyone else. The scribes and other staff that he passed gave him all strange looks, as if he were a crazed man indeed. Cain merely huffed and rolled his eyes.

As if their opinion mattered.

He was General Cain.

Master of the Naerith front-line and chief defence against the Aselian menace.

Truly his opinion were all that mattered.

Well, unless the king himself were to be called into question, of course.

As he had finished that last modest thought, the ebony and crimson armoured General began to approach the open door of the briefing room; the usual meeting place for his unit. In entering his chestnut brown eyes deftly scanned the area to find two more soldiers inside, both sitting and presumably waiting. On the right he found the folded armed Captain Eliana, ever rock-faced and bitterly postured and sitting across from her was the contrastingly relaxed Major Raymond, resting his two arms across the back of his head and even leaning his chair back. Eliana and Raymond both exchanged a similar look before returning their gazes to the similarly frowning faced General.

"What time do you call this, general?" Eliana criticised, her usually unamused frown morphing into a low smirk. Raymond couldn't seemingly help but chuckle in response as he leant back.

"We've been sitting here waiting for Lopt knows how long," Raymond added as he turned his sky-blue eyes over to rest on the scowling-faced Cain. "'Least ya could do is show up on time."

"Do not criticise me you little upstarts," Cain hissed back angrily as he paced into the briefing room. He glared down at the chuckling faced Raymond and the smirking expressed Eliana, opting to slowly circle the pair, as if judging them. "I am not only stronger than both of you but I am much more intelligent than either of you," he added with a bitter hiss, glowering down at them as he spoke. "I have seen things you children could not possibly even dream of." He opted to finish with as he ended his pacing at the end of the table, raising his armoured arms to fold them at the pair. Though they silently listened they exchanged a single look of obvious entertained amusement, revealing their reactions to the ever observant General. He scowled down at them and narrowed his eyes as always, though elected not to pursue the pair as he had done in the past.

It would seem the odds were always stacked against him.

Almost as if interrupting his train of thought, an unnatural wind kicked up and the trio snapped their heads to the side for the source. Cain's eyes narrowed as a result of the fierce wind, blowing books and papers off the shelves of the briefing room before, finally, an outline of Aegir began to form. The Aegir trace was soon solidified by the appearance of a visible person; wearing his tell-tale mask and robes it was obvious who it was.

The famed Masked Man of Naerith.

Though he could not tell, Cain imagined the Masked Man's own eyes shut before suddenly widening behind his disguise as he spoke.

"I apologise for my lateness," he opened with as he turned his hidden eyes over the trio before watching them as a whole. "I was held up with scout work."

"Please don't let it trouble you commander," Eliana chuckled good naturedly, electing to smile invitingly up at the presumably older fighter. "We could wait as long as it takes; you taught us that."

Cain and even Raymond both turned to gape at the young woman, drawing an annoyed silent scowl from her in response.

"Hmph," the Masked Man merely muttered in a mumble back in response. "It's good you're all here... at the very least."

"So... have you heard, commander?" Raymond broke the ice as he leant back in his chair, leaning his head to the side as he faced the standing and folded armed warrior. "It's surprising out there."

"Yes," he shot back, his voice as hard as always. His eyes glared back down at the Dragon Knight as he continued. "Aselia, as it would appear, have successfully assisted in ending Etherthien's civil war and have gained military assistance from them in kind. They have come knocking on our very doors, at Stormholme."

"Surely they were... repelled back?" Cain answered suspiciously, arms ever folded as he narrowed his eyes toward his commander on his right. The Masked Man turned to face him, similar stance and all.

"I'm afraid not," he shot back, seemingly watching the General behind his disguise before turning back to face the other two soldiers. "We just received word that the Aselian-Etherthien force managed to overwhelm them very quickly."

"So!" Cain exclaimed loudly, his eyes widening in alarm but expected surprise. "They are allied with Etherthien!" He claimed boldly before turning to spit on the ground roughly. "Dogs!"

"But... who was even in charge of Stormholme? It's so remote." Eliana replied as she leant her head to the side in curiosity.

The Masked Man nodded his head upwards, turning his vision in a similar direction; obviously indicating towards the entrance and exit to the room. Standing there now, in chains, was the worried expressed Brighton accompanied by a single soldier; a Halberdier. The Sage stood and seemingly shook from concern at his apparent failure.

"Disgusting...," Cain muttered under his breath before, very quickly, breaking into a brisk walk, positively marching with ill intent towards the pair of Naerith natives before suddenly grappling the Sage's robed arm. "Don't you know this country's mantra?!" The General exclaimed down at the wincing Brighton. "You're going to wish they killed you now..."

"Cain! Stand down!" The Masked Man's order came from the back of the room. The General turned his eyes on the seemingly hard-expressed Field Marshal behind him, glaring back at him before finally letting go of the Sage but not without an obvious angry mutter to himself. "We could still use him."

"You would never have thought of that... would you Cain?" Eliana called over lightly, an obvious smirk plastered on her face. Cain glared back at her angrily.

"Open your mouth to me like that again and I'll-"

"Minds on the mission here," the Masked Man interrupted, similarly angrily. The pair turned, obliging even if unwillingly. "You are both members of my unit and I will not suffer insubordination."

"What do you think he knows, commander?" Raymond questioned curiously, turning his curious gaze away from the shaking Sage previously in Cain's grip.

"I'm not entirely sure," the Masked Man responded to his Dragon Knight before re-raising his head and nodding upwards at the nameless Halberdier, presumably to lead the Sage in. "But perhaps we can't find anything out before we execute him, hm?"

"Great thinking commander." Eliana smiled as always toward her commanding officer. Cain shook his head in disgust and disapproval towards her, though silently this time.

"You have one chance," the Field Marshal spoke, his voice ever muffled behind the mask he wore. He laid his hands on the table before him as he watched the Sage next to him. "Tell us what you know of the enemy force and I'll perhaps find a way to spare you."

"T-T-They're huge in number." Brighton stammered out worriedly as he stood before his superior, shaking in senior sickness.

"Yes we're aware," the Masked Man sighed before re-affixing his stance; he stood up straight and folded his arms, turning to face the Sage. "Anything else?"

"U-Um...," the man murmured, wincing as he turned his eyes away presumably in desperate thought. "T-They hit hard and f-fast and... and..."

"Oh come on," Eliana sighed loudly as she rolled her eyes in tow with her annoyed frown, resting her arm across the side of the chair as she did so. "This is so desperate! He doesn't know anything!"

"Still couldn't hurt," Raymond countered calmly and with a frowning shrug of his own, similarly postured. "We'd be wasting a great opportunity."

"My thoughts exactly," the commander agreed with a hard tone of voice, directing his words to the wincing Sniper sitting in her chair. Seemingly ashamed enough at her commander's disapproving words, she opted to remain quiet. "Go on?" He pressed as he turned back to the Sage.

"Their force s-seems to consist of... of... Etherthien and um... Aselian soldiers..."

"Aselia!" Cain gasped surprisingly, eyebrows lifting in similar shock. He reached forward almost immediately and grasped at the yelping Sage's shoulder behind him. "Who was the commander?! Did you happen to see their commander?!" The General pressed angrily as he glared down at the surprised scholar.

"U-Um I can't seem to-" Brighton stuttered out once more, turning his eyes away in thought once more, his eyes scanning around as if in search for something. They widened suddenly however and he gasped. "V-Vikeruce!"

The entire room itself almost seemed to stand on edge as the name was mentioned; every eye turning on him firmly as he spoke that single word.

"Y-Yes!" Brighton exclaimed in surprised joy, laughing lightly, as if elated by his memory. "T-That was his name!"

"His first name," Cain demanded lowly and angrily as he advanced on the gasping Sage, bearing down upon him furiously. "What was his first name?"

"O-Oh um...," Brighton murmured lowly again as he lowered his eyes in presumable thought once more. He shut them roughly and worriedly, thinking hard. "I can't seem to..."

"Selthris...," the Masked Man spoke aloud, eliciting a surprised gasp from the listening Sage. Raymond and Eliana turned to face their commander with quizzical expressions but the hard-scowling faced Cain growled back at him, as if recognising the name. "Wasn't it?"

"Y-Yes!" Brighton exclaimed happily, raising his right index finger to point at the Masked Man, his chains clinking loudly as he did so. "T-That was his name!"

"Selthris...?" Cain muttered in a low toned parrot, narrowing his eyes forward suspiciously as he did so. "Not... of the Vikeruce clan, perhaps?"

The Masked Man turned his eyes over to glare back at the General. "The very same."

"Huh," the man spoke, folding his protected arms in presumable thought. "I never thought they'd even still be living after you killed their head."

"Only our masked man could truly end the great Sathryon Vikeruce," Eliana chuckled good naturedly as she turned her gaze up at the presumably hard-faced Masked Man in question. She lost her grin as he seemingly glowered down at her in response. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Well don't," the Field Marshal growled angrily as he regarded the Sniper below him with a sense of disapproval. "The less said about that pathetic wretch of a man, the better."

"You're very prickly when it comes to this clan," Cain spoke up suspiciously as he turned his hard-eyed frown on the similar-faced Masked Man. His eyes narrowed as he continued. "Why is that?"

"I agree with general Cain," Raymond piped up, turning his own suspicious-eyed gaze on the leaning masked Field Marshal. "Do you have some connection to them?"

The room suddenly fell silent and as the Masked Man's eyes turned to glare at the man whom spoke first, they seemed to realise his intentions. The Masked Man stood up straight and pushed past the grunting and surprised Halberdier and Brighton to advance on the scowling-faced Cain. The two stood glaring at one another and, though he was shorter than the straight standing General, the Masked Man's firm-eyed glare was by no means any less intimidating. Raymond and Eliana both exchanged a worried shake of their heads, as if speaking to one another silently. Brighton and his captor both also watched from their corner as the pair glared at one another.

"You have something you want to say to me...," the Masked Man began lowly as he presumably scowled beneath his mask up at the taller and seemingly larger man. "General?"

"I have... many things...," he answered in a similarly wintry toned voice, glaring down hatefully as he did so. "But we are professionals... are we not?" The man spoke, his hard scowl suddenly up-turning into a surprising smirk. "We should set an example for the unit."

The Masked Man watched him carefully for a few agonising seconds before grunting once, presumably in annoyance as he turned back in a quiet swish of his robes, seemingly opting to re-join the table. Almost as if afraid to break the ice, as it was now, the watching group merely remained silent as they awaited the Masked Man's next words.

"Now... we know who our enemy is," he began shortly before turning his hard-eyed glare on each member in the room. "Which is already more than they can say for us."

"The advantage of information, huh?" Raymond murmured as he leant back in his chair, regaining his relaxed persona with the slow switch of the atmosphere.

"Yes...," the masked general agreed in a low nod before lightly turning his head in the squirming Brighton's direction. "Or we will if our little friend still wishes to live." He warned lowly, his voice suiting the tone he spoke in.

"O-Of course, a-anything for you, general!"

Eliana snorted loudly in the Sage's direction, as if an insult of some kind however it did not dissuade him from continuing on.

"Their force overwhelmed ours completely both in number and in strength," Brighton explained as briefly and as concisely as he could, eyes narrowing suddenly in thought. "To make matters worse they even surprise attacked us and-"

"You weren't ready for them?" The Masked Man interrupted, his tone turning angry once more as he 'rounded yet another glare on the gasping, chained Sage.

"U-Um w-well-"

"Who could be?" Cain interrupted himself with a low grin, arms contrastingly folded. "I hear Sathryon's brat is as fast as lightning itself. Could you confirm that for us?" He asked, turning the question over to the hard-eyed Masked Man. Though they could not see his scowl twitch behind the mask, it did.

"Perhaps," he answered before re-narrowing his eyes and re-asserting his purpose. "But he is nothing but a pale imitation of his weak father."

"Hah," Cain laughed aloud, seemingly amused by his superior's words. "I'll have to test that out... now that the real thing is dead."

"S-S-So...," Brighton interrupted lightly as he chanced a step forward. The group all turned watch him suspiciously, eyes narrowing. "Can I be freed?"

Eliana and Raymond both exchanged similar unsure expressions before turning to watch their superiors do the same thing. The Masked Man and General Cain both seemed to watch each other expectantly, almost as if reading one another's thoughts. Cain's low growing smirk and shake of his head was all that the Masked Man needed; he turned and seemingly nodded toward the wide-eyed frowning Sage.

"O-Oh t-t-thank you my lord!" Brighton managed to blubber out as he leaned forward in his clinking chains, a wide appreciative smile across his face. The Masked Man turned back to face the group and narrowed his eyes at each of them before finishing.

"We're finished here today; stay on the defensive. I'll come up with a strategy while this communication issue is still in effect," he explained briefly before lightly swiping at the air with his left robed and gloved arm. "Dismissed."

As the Field Marshal turned to leave, he used his sheer Aegir to pull the gasping Brighton with him as he walked off. He turned his hard-eyed glare up on the folded armed, frowning Cain and stopped briefly before opening his mouth.

"Do not engage the enemy commander without consulting me," the Masked Man warned lowly and, presumably angrily, as he glowered on up at the similarly firm-faced General. "Or you will wish you hadn't."

"Well... of course not, commander," he answered in a low respectful bow. The listening and watching Field Marshal surveyed him doubtfully before suddenly pushing past him in a light grunt, the gasping Brighton staggering after him. The Halberdier, once keeping him prisoner, followed shortly after, leaving the watching and folded armed General watching. "We have to set an example for the unit, after all...," he began again, this time speaking lowly and presumably to himself. His eyes narrowed in a hard scowl as he finished his sentence. "Don't we?"

\--

2

Search for an appropriate place, he thought to himself.

His silver eyes were scrunched shut as he lay down on Naerith field, his thoughts contrastingly fierce to the outside's calmness and serenity.

There has to be something I can do in order to use this Aegir, he thought to himself.

"I just have to find it."

"Sel!"

His eyes shot wide open and he snapped his silvery head around in surprise, his alarm increasing to high level. Before he could reach for his weapon however, he found the nervous smile of one of his old vassals.

The Cavalier, Kay.

She stood over him, her ponytail of blonde hair spilling over her blue armoured shoulder.

"Are you all right?" She asked, unsure as she ran her eyes up and down him. The High Lord blinked at her before tracing her eyesight, as if to see what she may also be seeing. "You've been sitting here for a while."

"I'm... practicing," he merely answered cryptically, turning a hard frown back up at her. "What's wrong?"

The Cavalier raised a curious straw eyebrow upward at him, as if disbelieving. "Sure doesn't look like practice," she attempted at a laugh, presumably to lighten the atmosphere as she always did. "Can you tell me about it?"

"Not really, no," Selthris answered quickly but calmly as he frowned back up at her, hard. She lost her grin in place of a hurt frown as she listened to him. "It's... private." He added, turning his head away, seemingly noticing the expression on her face.

"It's to do with the boss' death isn't it," the Cavalier spoke up as she rubbed the side of her elbow. When he opted to remain silent she continued. "It's for his killer... isn't it."

"Yes," Selthris' whisper came back in response; he scowled forward, his tired silver eyes watching the open Naerith field before him. "I think I have a way to use this power I received from my father. If I can do that...," he began again before re-turning back to face the older knight, glaring at her as if she were the Masked Man himself. "Then that fucker's finished."

Kay's eyes widened beneath the shocked frown she wore before, suddenly, she burst out laughing. The watching and hard-scowling faced Selthris suddenly lost his own hard frown, his eyebrows raising upwards in curiosity as he did so.

"W-What did I say?" The High Lord gasped out in surprise, blinking in response.

"You look so adorable when you try to be all intimidating!" The blonde Cavalier laughed as she gripped her lower stomach in an obvious show of hilarity. Selthris could only blink back at her. She leaned forward and pinched at his cheeks, drawing an annoyed growl from him; he slapped at her hands to force her away from him unsuccessfully. "Coochie-coo!"

"Kay!"

The blonde Cavalier gasped and snapped her head 'round almost immediately, as if fearing the voice. When she turned to locate the source, her fears were seemingly realised; the hard-faced stony pair stood behind her, seemingly silently judging her together, her younger brother George and mentor Ulric.

"Ey guys!" The Cavalier grinned back as hopefully as she usually did, yanking her arms back from the High Lord's face comically. "Not catchin' me doin' anythin' wrong, no siree!" She exclaimed as she placed her arms at her side, a rough stance indeed.

"I am sure the commander is busy enough on his own," Ulric spoke up as he folded his arms down at the youth, eliciting a lightly wincing frown from the youth. "Am I right?"

Selthris merely shook his head and shrugged in a seemingly uncaring frown. "It's fine, she's not bothering m-"

"Still though!" George interrupted with a single index finger in the air, eyes shutting in presumable thought. "We must always strive to be of use to our lords and if that means staying out of sight then so be it!" He exclaimed passionately; Ulric grew a small, proud smile as he listened and nodded exuberantly.

"Well said my son," he proudly proclaimed before turning instead to frown disapprovingly at the rolling-eyed Kay. "You, back into line!" He hissed lowly, edging his thumb back the way he came. The dirty-blonde Cavalier sighed before following as she was told though not without complaining as she usually did.

"You're such a soy-boy." The young woman moaned, her tone one of annoyance. Her younger brother glared on after her as he followed on after her.

"How dare you! No I'm not!" He exclaimed, seemingly hurt by her insult, their chatter devolving away as they walked further off from the pair.

"Lord Selthris," Ulric began again, this time making the silvery-haired youth turn his head upward to face the Paladin. "I realise how low this may look and how hypocritical I must seem at this moment while I do this, but...," he started as he lowered his eyes in his folded armed frown, seemingly wincing as he spoke. As he re-raised his head however he lowered his usual defensive folded arms to place them respectfully behind him, joining them together as he did so. "I must know."

Selthris raised a curious silver eyebrow. "What about exactly?"

"Your closest companion, Sir Leo, let us know that you encountered a strange vision in Archmouth Caves a few days ago but refused to tell him of it," the Paladin countered. Selthris turned his eyes away, almost as if caught in the act. "Did you happen to see anything overtly strange? Perhaps your father in this vision?"

"No," he frowned back as he re-raised his head to face his longest standing officer. "But I did meet him."

"Him?" Ulric mouthed back in response, tilting his head in further puzzlement.

Selthris' hard eyes narrowed as he spoke the next words. "The Sorcerer of the Divine Divide."

Ulric's eyes widened and he leaned back in his respectful stance, perhaps bowled over by the youth's words.

"I know," the High Lord added on as his eyes wandered away from the Paladin's once more, presumably in thought. "I almost couldn't believe him but... somehow I knew," he claimed as he narrowed his eyes down at the ground, opting to rest his right hand over his raised right knee. "This guy was definitely him."

"I... I see," Ulric murmured lowly, turning his eyes away from the youth's in response as if in his own thought. "P-Please forgive me, my lord but...," he began again, shutting his eyes as he sighed through his nose. Selthris, his curiosity piqued once more, lifted his head back up to face the older warrior. "I have to know this; your father, Lord Sathryon, was the longest I have ever served anyone," he established, a business-like frown adorned on his expression. Selthris' eyes lowered, his nerves tensing.

He knew what was coming.

"I need to know this, Lord Selthris and I apologise because I know how hard this must be for you," the Paladin confessed before lifting a hand to rest on his chest. "When he died I just... I couldn't accept it," he explained lightly as he shut his eyes and shook his head, as if to disagree with himself somehow. "Who is your father's killer?" He finally asked as he shot his hard-eyed glare on the contrastingly tired expressed High Lord's. "Who is the Masked Man?"

"I don't know his identity and, honestly, I don't care," Selthris merely answered with as he frowned back at the Paladin. "I swear on this Aegir that I acquired that I'm going to murder him in cold blood, just like he did to my father."

"Aegir?" Ulric parroted, furrowing his brow in further quizzical concern. "What do you-?"

"The Vikeruce clan tomb is in there; in Archmouth Caves," he explained briefly, his sunken-dark eyes glowering back as he spoke. "Do you remember that package that was delivered a few days ago?" He asked, eliciting a surprised raise of the man's eyebrows. He nodded in response and Selthris gradually lifted the small bronze medallion necklace he wore from before, showing it to the curious-faced Paladin. "Apparently Sohantha's empress sent this to king Alaric; we're still not sure why," the youth claimed as he took the small medallion in his fingers before dropping it so that it hung from his neck as before. "He also sent me a letter from my father."

"Ah!" Ulric mouthed in surprise, his eyebrows lifting once more.

"In that letter, my father told me of Archmouth Caves and the Aegir that was left by my father and my other ancestors," the youth explained quickly, narrowing his eyes back at the watching and listening Ulric. "This... power...," he began again as he opened up his palm, as if to examine it before swiftly clenching it together and snapping his head back up. "It will kill him," he claimed boldly, nodding as he spoke. "I know it."

"Do you even know... how to utilise it correctly?" Ulric asked, watching the young swordsman carefully. Selthris' low scowl quickly upturned into a low smirk.

"Not yet," he offered in response, shaking his head before chuckling lowly in his similarly small grin. "But I will; I promise you that."

"Sel!"

The pair, eyes widening in similar surprise, turned their vision over toward the camp only to find a leaning Leo, hand resting on the side of his mouth as if to amplify his voice.

"It's time!" The Mercenary called over, drawing a frowning nod from the younger swordsman. Satisfied, Leo turned, seemingly returning to camp.

"Come on," Selthris spoke up as he brushed lightly past the frowning Ulric. "We better not be late."

~

"Ooh! Cold out there," Gorlin gasped as he rubbed his hands together while striding into the tent, blowing into them as if to spread warmth. "This Naerith weather ain't good for an old coot like me."

"You ain't that old," Sabine countered with a knowing grin, his own uniformed arms folded as he watched the older warrior. The Nomad Trooper couldn't help but crack his own humoured grin in response to witnessing the youth's expression. "I've seen worse."

"And what does that mean?"

The pair turned their surprised, blinking heads to find the hard-faced frowning Ariella, accompanied as ever by her aide, the well-dressed yet scruffily adorned Norman.

"I happen to think I look good for my age," the Alchemist shot back as she turned her nose up at the young Archer and strode past him, eyes shut. Norman, arms folded, shook his head as if disapprovingly before following behind her as loyally as ever. "Now!" She began again, this time with an open-eyed smile. She opted to face the ever growing group of soldiers at the main table, overlooking a map, presumably of their next battlefield. "How are things looking?"

"Well, we haven't started yet," Gorlin spoke up as he gave the old woman a grin back, folding his own arms back at her in a friendly expression. "Just waitin' for-" He began before temporarily widening his eyes and casting his vision towards the entrance to the tent.

Immediately the group's small chatter halted into deafening silence.

Selthris stood in the doorway, a hard scowl as ever attached to his expression. Ulric stood behind him, a frown of his own resting on his usually firm face. With little hesitation, the commander marched himself into the battle tent, accompanied as ever by his military officer. Stopping in front of the main table he stood around the group and raised a curious silver eyebrow, watching them all strangely.

"What?" He asked, perhaps unsure. Tina, watching from the side, couldn't help but laugh aloud before opening her own mouth to respond to him.

"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or what?" The Pegasus Knight laughed at an obvious attempt to placate the situation. The group let out a conjoined laugh, partly motivated by their awkwardness at the youth's behaviour.

"N-No I'm... fine," the young general murmured back in response as he turned his silvery eyes away from hers, shaking his head. He re-raised his head to face hers however, this time in a softer frown. "I'm sorry." He apologised, though watching the older soldier, directed his words to the rest of the group.

"Actually, Commander...," Leo began from the other side of the table, his own arms folded. As Selthris turned his head to face his older companion. "We have another reason for calling you in here with us."

Selthris blinked in a mix of curiosity and bewilderment, unsure of what to say in response. Perhaps goaded on by the silence, Kay spoke up next to the Mercenary.

"You've been very distant," the blonde Cavalier added softly, though not without merit. Selthris' silver eyes darted in her direction, narrowing suspiciously. "And we've all noticed it."

"Yeah, I don't know if I recognise you anymore... Commander." Gerard spoke up in agreement along with the Cavalier to the further left of the group. Selthris' eyes darted in his direction this time, narrowing in seeming light annoyance.

"So wh-" Selthris began speaking, however, lost his train of thought as quickly as he had gained it, perhaps surprised by the group's effort. He gained an annoyed frown and a light twitch of anger to his new light scowl. As he turned however, he faced the always frowning faced Edgar and put on a light smile of his own, as if looking for a comrade to turn to. "What about you, Edgar?"

"I have noticed an objective difference... Commander," the Axe Fighter replied in response, shrugging his folded arms up once, as if in disinclination. "It's definitely affecting your work."

Selthris cursed angrily as he faced the group, frowning at them all in annoyance.

"Is this really the issue here?" The High Lord replied in abject frustration as he turned to each of the group's faces. "Our success rate has shot through the roof thanks to most of you for starters. I'd like to think some of this I have assisted with," he claimed with a sarcastic laugh before shaking his head. "I'll tell you all one thing...," he began again, tilting his head in a hard frown to continue finishing off his response. "There's no force strong enough on this earth to have helped me get this far without changing," he claimed boldly before narrowing his eyes and speaking once more. "That's the truth."

"No-one's saying we don't appreciate it, kid but...," Gorlin spoke up as he chanced a step forward, a light smile on his face. "We're just worried, that's all," the Coremondian Nomad Trooper claimed softly. "Loosen up with us a little more, like you used to."

"And tell you what-"

"Tell us what you're gonna do with that Aegir you got in Archmouth Caves... for starters," Leo replied, folding his arms back at his younger companion, not one to back down from a confrontation. Selthris' silvery eyes widened, as if concerned that a secret had left the room. "You're fine; only the people in this room even know about it." Leo added as he nodded towards each member in the tent. Selthris followed his gaze and turned his eyes ground-ward, as if pondering.

"It would do us the world of good General," Ariella spoke up with a light grin of her own adorned on her face, turning to face him as she leant down on the table. "Keeping your men in the dark helps no-one after all."

Perhaps incited by the old woman's words, Selthris watched her for a few seconds as she spoke before turning back to the ground, presumably in thought. Finally, after a moment or two, he re-raised his head and faced the soldiers one-by-one.

"All right... here's what happened..."

–-

3

"Incredible...," Norman mouthed as he finished listening to the last of Selthris' story. The High Lord turned to look at the older man with a tired look in his eye. "You shouldn't even be standing here right now if you've already engaged the dreaded Masked Man twice."

"I told ya, s'cause he's the boss' son!" Kay exclaimed as exuberantly as ever, leaping forward to tackle the annoyed youth by taking him in a brotherly headlock, grinning as always.

"Come on it doesn't matter who's son he is!" Sabine opted to interrupt with, turning an annoyed frown of his own on the pair. Selthris looked up with a blank frown while Kay on his side furrowed her brow in obvious disapproval.

"But he's the son of-"

"I'm sorry but... I've got to agree with Sabine," Edgar began in his folded armed frown, shaking his head as he did so. Kay lost her smile as she let the grateful Selthris go. "For once," he added, turning a disapproved frown of his own down at the sarcastic-expressed Sabine. "I haven't known you for long Commander... but you don't seem to me like the hardy type."

"Come on didn't you all see him in Stormholme just two days ago?" Kay laughed as she turned around the room, as if for further agreements. No-one seemed to oblige. "He was practically by himself most of the time!"

"I can vouch for that," Tina opted to add in agreement as she raised her hand. The group turned almost immediately to raise suspicious eyebrows and such. She fidgeted under their gaze before continuing on. "I was told to go help." The Pegasus Knight chuckled lowly, eliciting a hearty chortle of the group's own in response.

"Mm, that was me," Leo gave claim to as he raised his own hand before lowering it once more, stepping into the light that the candles offered. "I know you better 'n you think you know yourself, Sel," the Mercenary added in as he nodded in the High Lord's direction. Selthris re-raised his tired eyes to frown at his only companion. "If it's not that masked general then it'll be you that does it."

"Does... what?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

The air almost immediately grew heavy and Selthris lowered his gaze from his companion's.

He did.

Funny he mentioned it, he thought. After reading just this very thing from his father's letter.

Stop.

Wasn't it?

"For what it's worth... I can see what he's talkin' about," Gorlin offered in, surprising the pair. Selthris turned his own abrupt wonder on the large, folded armed man to his left. "Whatever's eatin' at you is somethin' deep inside; we all saw it that day when you and I squared off... if you remember."

Selthris nodded, lowering his eyes once more in remembrance.

He did.

"Come now, I'm sure Lord Selthris is devoting as much time to his duties as he is to this personal quest of his-" Ulric began in a light chuckle, as if to placate the situation.

"I don't know... Ulric-sensei," George opted to interrupt his superior with a light wince adorned on his expression. The Paladin, surprised by the Cavalier's very interruption, let alone his position, opted to stay quiet to listen. George turned his worried frown down on the tired-eyed High Lord. "I thought I could pretend that I didn't see it... but..."

"A-ha!" Kay exclaimed suddenly, drawing the quietened and listening members of the group to jump out of their skins from her sudden shout. The older blonde Cavalier leapt next to the younger brother, a grin spread across her expression. "I was right! You admit it!"

Perhaps allowing the rest of his surprise to flit away from him, he rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Yes Kay... you were right." He sing-songed back in robotic defeat, eliciting a victorious laugh from the older blonde.

"Right about what?" Tina questioned as she narrowed her eyes over at the pair; they turned to face her and exchanged a single look with one another before nodding together.

"When we both served under Lord Sathryon's unit... we noticed that, like Lord Selthris... he was off." George quickly explained, frowning as he did so.

"Off?" Ariella opted to speak in with, furrowing her brow in curiosity. "Do go on?"

"Um... he would spend unusual amounts of time by himself, keeping on watch and things like that," the Cavalier continued as pressed. "A lot of the soldiers in our unit just thought that's, you know, how he was and it was a noble's thing but..."

"Come now, you two," Ulric interrupted the pair with a disapproving hard frown and a low tone to match. Kay and George turned their paired wince up at him in response. "How do we know this happened for the same reason?"

"What happened for the same reason?" Ariella pressed once more as she took a curious step forward, raising an eyebrow with her query. Ulric turned to face her as politely as he always did but lowered his gaze temporarily, clearly in concerned pondering.

"Lord Sathryon..., he um... he died... once before."

The group went silent; some stared at Ulric in bewilderment, clearly pressing him for further answers. The Paladin sighed as he raised his left index and forefinger to grasp at the bridge of his nose, shutting his eyes as if in deep thought.

"During the early Naerith war, when Lord Sathryon was still young...," he began before pulling his fingers back, his thoughts ended for now. "He had become separated during a fierce battle and, in that battle, he was reportedly faced off with an incredibly powerful foe."

"Reportedly?" Norman questioned, raising a curious eyebrow upwards as he did so.

Ulric nodded. "Yes," he responded before elaborating. "No-one else managed to see this unfortunately; this happened as reported by Lord Sathryon himself."

"Go on...?" Hawke murmured from the corner of the tent, raising her masked face as she did so; the group almost jumped from her hidden presence before turning back to Ulric.

"He only ever told me this... but...," the Paladin claimed as he turned his sad-eyed frown down onto the blinking and bewildered Selthris before turning back to the group as a whole. "This person was apparently a man."

"'Apparently?'" Tina couldn't help but laugh as she tilted her head.

"When Lord Sathryon told me this he...," Ulric began as he turned back to face the curious Pegasus Knight, cringing lightly as if in memory. "He told me that this person didn't seem human... to him."

The room went silent.

"Fucking hell." Gorlin muttered from the back, cutting into the quiet tension with a club as he always did. The group couldn't help but chuckle, even if nervously in response.

"He... didn't really remember much but...," Ulric continued on as he lowered his own eyes before re-raising them and affixing his gaze on the group. "He did tell me that this person explained certain things to him."

"Things...?" Leo parroted lowly as he leaned his own head to the side expectantly. Ulric nodded.

"He told him that to truly save his country, he would have to die at least once," the Paladin explained briefly before re-narrowing his eyes and finishing. "And return from the other side with valuable information."

"Information?" Gerard murmured as he unfolded his own arms and stepped forward, his armour clinking lightly as he did. "What do you...?"

Ulric turned to face his Knight with a hard-eyed frown as he usually did. "This person didn't just challenge Lord Sathryon; he reportedly defeated him in single combat and killed him himself," the veteran explained briefly. The room went silent once more, as if unsure how to respond. "When Lord Sathryon told me this, he told me he had met with one told in our history books, one people theorise to be a mere fairy tale; The One."

"'The One'?" Hawke parroted, lightly annoyed by his explanation as she leaned her head to the side. "What do you-?"

Ulric turned to face her, a hard frown of his own on his expression. "The Sorcerer of the Divine Divide."

Selthris' silvery eyes shot wide open and he had to stop himself from gasping loudly. He snapped his head over to face the nodding Leo, surprised he had also gleaned information from the wise man's words.

"Okay I think I know... who you're talking about," Hawke murmured as she leaned off the wall, narrowing her eyes through her mask, clearly gaining interest. "You're talking about-"

"Yes, yes!" Ariella interrupted impatiently as she folded her arms disapprovingly. "The man who created Aegir Art; we know this!"

"No."

The group all turned around in silent surprise to find the hard-frowning faced Selthris, re-raising his head to shake it at the woman.

"N-No, what?" She merely asked, surprised at his interruption.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to...," the High Lord trailed off as he shook his head again, lowering it as he did so. When obviously silently pressed by the intently listening group he winced and re-raised his head to face them to elaborate. "The Sorcerer... did not create Aegir Art," he explained very briefly, frowning this time as he usually did. "He only spread the teachings."

"How the hell do you know that?" Gorlin laughed good naturedly and with a hint of honest curiosity. Selthris turned to face him, his head leant to the side; he opened his mouth to respond but was cut off before he could.

"He told him," Leo interrupted abruptly, though, gently. The group turned, again surprised, yet reassuringly reinforced. The Mercenary's arms were folded and as Selthris stared over at him in his own bewilderment, Leo stared back in his knowing frown, unchanging his expression. "I'm not too sure on the specifics... but I know certainly if the boss met with the Sorcerer... then you did too Sel." The Mercenary claimed boldly as he nodded his head in the youth's direction.

Selthris stared back at his close companion for a second or two before finally relenting, lowering his tired-eyed frown in defeat.

"Is this true?" Ariella questioned curiously as she re-folded her arms and raised an eyebrow upward.

"Yes," he answered, his eyes still sunken and lowered to match. He groaned however as he pinched the bridge of his nose in an obvious show of frustration and fatigue. "But it's hard to tell if it was... real."

"Don't blame ya," Edgar threw in lightly, pulling the group's attention as he spoke alarmingly calmly. His arms as always were folded to fuse with his harmonious disposition. "I wouldn't know hide nor hair of it if that was me."

"Was it truly him, Lord Selthris?" Ulric questioned as he took a concerned step forward. As Selthris raised a curious silver eyebrow at him he continued. "Lord Sathryon once told me that the Sorcerer's eyes were very strange but all he saw of him," the Paladin explained briefly before thus finishing. "He called it a purple ripple."

Selthris' own silver eyes widened in recognition at the older man's words; the Sorcerer's voice echoing in his memory.

"The path you walk on has no end... you shall have no peace..."

The man's words, so calmly reverberated across the walls of his perception still made him shiver from a new kind of fear.

A fear he had not yet felt before.

"It was him...," he finally replied, nodding as he frowned at the ground in thought. The Sorcerer's dark shadowy outline and strangely menacing yet serene purple ripple-like eyes was left burned into his psyche. Selthris raised his head to frown hard back at the Paladin. "I can't officially confirm it; the man's a fairy-tale... but somehow I knew... that was him." The High Lord claimed boldly but confidently, nodding again in his brief explanation.

"So-" Ariella began in response as she leant her head to the side before abruptly stopping herself; she sighed lowly as she temporarily shook her head and lowered her eyes before quickly re-raising them to continue. "By the Sainted Three..." She murmured lowly, shaking her head once more, as if shocked by the revelation.

"'Sainted Three'?" Gerard parroted, armoured arms folded as he raised a curious eyebrow of his own skyward.

"These notes are now unfortunately lost to us but...," Ariella began in her own explanation as she placed a hand on her hip and began. "It would seem that little Lord Selthris is correct!" The Alchemist grinned lightly before regaining her frown as she continued. "I once possessed notes leading back to ancient times, before even recorded history."

"W-Where are they now?" Tina murmured in great interest, leaning her head lightly to the side as she did so.

"I lost them, unfortunately," the Alchemist replied with some obvious annoyance in her tone; she turned to give her aide a lightly annoyed frown. Norman winced in response and shook his head, as if to silently apologise to her. "But in these notes I remember reading about three women."

"Three... women?" Selthris murmured in response, raising a curious-faced silvery eyebrow.

"Yes... they called these women 'the Sainted Three'," Ariella explained briefly as she re-folded her arms and lowered her right eyebrow while raising her left, her two eyes following suit as if thinking back to memory. "If I remember correctly... these women are the ones responsible for gifting us Aegir Art."

"But for years we always thought it was the Sorcerer!" Kay exclaimed in sudden shock, chestnut eyes widened. "How can that be?"

"Wouldn't be the first time men take credit for women's work," she joked with a grin, her arms still folded. The group let out a much needed chuckle in response, allowing her to continue. "But, seriously, the boy is right I think," she added in a chuckle of her own before turning her eyes back down to the frowning Selthris. "The Sorcerer only passed these teachings down to the women's followers."

"Huh, more ya know," Gorlin murmured lowly as he listened, lowering his head with his words as if in pondering. "There was always something about the holy women in Coremond, right before we broke away from Sohantha."

"You were part of the empire?" Sabine mouthed out in honest shock, eyes widening. Gorlin couldn't help but smirking back at the young Archer, turning his folded armed grin on him in response.

"Well not me personally but, yeah, our country wasn't always independent," the Nomad Trooper claimed in his grin. "I'm far too young to remember any of it; this all happened centuries ago," he continued on as he nodded before turning back to the frowning Selthris. "In fact it was long before Aselia grew independent."

"Aselia never left Sohantha in choice," Selthris shot back with a negative shake of his head. "We were driven from them, like dogs," the Vikeruce heir claimed as he folded his own arms, narrowing his silver eyes at the ground, as if in thought. "I don't know much... but that's all I've managed to glean from that tome my father left me."

"Well... the more we learn of Aselia's history... the better chance you'll stand in your eventual stand-off with the Masked Man, hm?" Ariella offered in with a knowing grin of her own. Selthris couldn't help but grow a small smile of his own as he exchanged it with the older woman.

"I'm... sorry I've kept all this from you," the youth began in reply, lowering his smile in place of an apologetic frown. "I suppose... that after my father died, I...," he trailed off as he shook his head, eyes lowered as he spoke. "I couldn't face the idea to pull anyone else down with me."

"That's what we're here for though!" Kay exclaimed as she pulled the youth's attention over with a grin of her own. "I know you're our boss but come on, lighten up!" The Cavalier laughed, eliciting another low chuckle from the quietly listening members of the group. Selthris put on a forced smile of his own in response and nodded before continuing on.

"My father; he...," the High Lord started, this time narrowing his eyes firmly in recollection as he spoke. "He was often disappointed in me," the youth spoke plainly as he frowned forward. "I know people in Aselia and even Dracolius itself have always seen him as a hero, as a good person," the young swordsman began lowly before shooting his silvery eyes back up firmly to speak to the group as a whole. "But he was never nearly that heroic," he spoke roughly but truly, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. Leo lowered his eyes from his companion's, as if already having known this. "Most people... they didn't know my father like I did," the young noble claimed as he shook his head in his words. "When I do this; what I'm doing now," he claimed as he raised his free right index finger to point at the ground roughly. "I want to be absolutely certain that I do it my way."

"What exactly do you mean?" Ariella questioned curiously as she leant her head to another side and raised her eyebrow upwards.

"I mean I'm going to be a completely different commander than my father ever was," Selthris spoke as he turned to face the old woman. He quickly turned back however to face the Aselian soldiers he knew best. Kay, George, Ulric and Leo all stared back at him and waited for him to speak. "I'll never be as strong as he was, but...," he began lowly, his eyes temporarily lowered before shooting back up and narrowing in a show of decisiveness. "I'm going to be a better person than he was."

The room grew uncomfortably silent in response to the youth's words, perhaps unsure of how to respond. Finally however, the listening Ulric opened his mouth, ever the dutiful one.

"Lord Selthris...," he began in his own low tone, lowering his folded arms to stay at his side dutifully. "We have all seen your resolve," the Paladin claimed in his hard frown. The group all began to murmur lowly and nodded with each other, as if in quiet agreement with the older man. "To shoulder such a burden by yourself... you would surely have perished due to that alone... if you don't mind my saying so."

Selthris couldn't help but grow a small grin in response and nodded lightly.

"I agree with Ulric-sensei," George claimed as he nodded in his superior's direction before turning his business-like frown on the eyebrow raised Selthris. "The fact you've opened up to us about all this..." He trailed off as he shook his head, as if in bewilderment. Selthris raised a silver eyebrow this time, curious-faced and all.

"I know what he means," Kay grinned in her younger brother's direction before turning her folded armed smirk on the shorter Selthris. "Some people thought the boss stronger for keeping everything all locked up inside but..."

"It doesn't work," Leo interrupted softly and gently as he folded his own arms and shook his head. Kay nodded in her light grin, clearly in agreement with her companion and comrade. "Your dad might well have been the 'greatest living soldier in the world' at that time but...," the Mercenary claimed as he shook his head once more in his speech. "Sooner or later it hits you and it hits you hard. I still think that he took on too much when he was commander."

"I know," Selthris murmured lowly in agreement as he lowered his own silvery head. "I know I shouldn't make the same mistakes but..."

"I get it!" Tina spoke up suddenly, pulling the group's attention. She rubbed her right arm with her left gloved hand and put on a smile as she faced the hard-expressed Selthris. "I understand why you wanna keep this inside but-"

"It just can't be done; I know," Selthris repeated his close friend's words with a low sigh, nodding as he did so. Leo exchanged an approving folded armed, smiling nod. "That's why I'm opening up now, I guess," he continued on, his silver eyes staring firmly at the ground as he spoke. He re-raised them to face each high ranking member of the army and hardened his frown. "You've all not only proven whatever worth you think you have but, to me, you've all helped me," he continued on as he flitted his eyes over slowly in his words. "Much more than you probably all think," he added, this time with a slow, low smile. His words managed to elicit similarly flat chuckles from the group. "I can only finish this by saying... that I hope... that I can continue to count on you all."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Raise the Standard; Take the Frontline!  
Mastering the Monarch Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.

Featured Music: "Urgency Drives Us" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Steel Myself for Battle" - YS VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).  
"Emergence of Talents" - Naruto Part II OST. Scene 2 (First Half).  
"Breakthrough" - Dynasty Warriors V OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).  
"Crisis in the North" - Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood OST. Scene 4 (First Half).  
"Those Who Fight Further" - Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children OST. Scene 4 (Second Half).  
"The Best is Yet to Come (Instrumental)" - Metal Gear Solid OST. Scene 5.

\--

Having received their latest reinforcements from their staunch allies, Etherthien, Selthris' Aselian Liberation force plough through Naerith's own military troops with fearsome speed and brutality. Compelled to react to their activity, Naerith's 'Renegade Saints' unit convene together in a meeting to discuss their next movements in spite of king Alpheus' communication rule. General Cain, second-in-command to the unit, discusses the merits of simply overpowering the Aselian force with their own unit, however, the Masked Man; their commander, opts to be far shrewder.

He eagerly sees and even states his interest in the Aselian-Etherthien commander, Selthris Vikeruce, and corrects the General in his hasty assumptions. As a result, the Renegade Saints agree on stationing more troops up at the next junction on the way to Naesbray Castle; Vonnorburd Field. Although General Cain argues to be stationed there himself, perhaps for a chance to engage with the son of his most hated enemy, the Masked Man instead instructs him firmly not to.

Meanwhile, Selthris Vikeruce finally relents to his close companion Leo's request in the Aselian-Etherthien military force and opts to finally open up about his own past and his visit to Archmouth Caves. Though the results somewhat surprise him, he clearly states his own intentions to be a better person than his father ever was, even if he cannot be a stronger warrior in place of him. Though the group do not seem to follow what the youth discussed, Leo always did.

It is with these strange seeds of doubt that the Aselian military forces finally make their first approach to Vonnorburd Field.

\--

Scene 1

"Lieutenant Colonel, sir!"

Amnash turned from sharpening her Hero Sword to glare back at the blank faced Soldier, gripping his iron lance and shield tightly, almost as if her gaze penetrated his very defence itself.

"What?" The Swordmaster angrily spat back in reply, narrowing her eyes at the man. He opened his mouth and, very clumsily, attempted to reply back.

"T-T-The leader of the... of the-"

"Of the what? Spit it out man!" The woman exclaimed angrily as she stood up from her seat in the barracks to glare at the unfortunate Soldier.

"The Renegade Saints!" The Soldier shouted out suddenly as he scrunched his eyes shut, as if in fear. Perhaps in shock at the revelation, the Swordmaster widened her eyes in response before taking a step back from her leaning position.

"The... leader...?" She parroted lowly in thought; the Masked Man's infamous picture entering her brain.

"Y-Yes he-"

Almost as if to respond to the man's words, an unnatural wind crept into the air and blew anything unfortunate enough to be lying around such as paper. The nameless Soldier gasped and raised his arms to block the stray unnatural lightning that also accompanied the wind. Amnash glared, her eyes darting around as if for the source.

Finally however, the wind pointed down toward a growingly materialising figure, not far from where she now stood. The lightning grew with intensity before, finally, the figure was formed and the perfectly postured Masked Man stood not five steps away from her, arms folded and back facing her. The infamous general snapped his disguised face around to glare at the gasping Soldier.

"You may go," he finally spoke, his hard and echoing words cutting deep into the air. The Soldier, perhaps glad to be relieved, turned and clumsily ran off from the discussion, leaving the pair alone. The Masked Man finally about turned as the last flicker of lightning dissipated, Amnash was gifted with the robed man's full stature and picture. She stood glaring at him as suspiciously as she always did. "I see you've not forgotten me... Lieutenant Colonel." The Masked Man finally spoke as he spoke, his arms folded as firmly as before.

Amnash opted not to speak in response; she merely stared at him as silently as she had done. Her partner took this as an option to continue.

"Cut your hair I see," he added as he lowly chuckled. "It suits you," he said, as if a compliment of all things. Amnash's low frown twitched lightly in response and she reflexively turned her eyes up, as if to examine her own hair itself. Light brown and messy fringe and all with a cut backside. She merely re-raised a side of her nose up at him in a show of light annoyance before bringing her eyes back down to meet his behind his mask. "Hmph... never one for pleasantries, hm?"

"No." The Swordmaster deftly shot back and with a low enough tone of voice to suggest her own distrust of the man before her. Somehow, she almost felt him grin behind his mask.

"Fine; in that case, I'll dispense with them," he claimed before continuing. "We have need of you for a job."

"I will do anything that benefits Naerith," she confidently shot back before narrowing her eyes hatefully at the Field Marshal. "Even for you." She hissed out lowly as she scowled at him in an expression to match her hateful tone.

"Hmph, well at least you have dedication," the Masked Man claimed, seemingly also narrowing his eyes at her. "It would appear that the Aselian force that have rejoined with Etherthien... are finally on the move."

"Yes I heard this but-"

"It doesn't matter what you've heard," the Masked Man interrupted her rudely but not without purpose. She narrowed her eyes back again at him but allowed him to speak. "They have already subjugated Fort Stormholme and are now presumably on their way here."

"They've... taken Stormholme...?" The Swordmaster gasped out in shock, her own eyes widening in alarm. The Field Marshal nodded in response.

"Now you see how serious the situation is," he spoke and she couldn't help but gulp down a load of saliva as she listened. "Yes it would appear that their strength has certainly been proven..."

"Who is their commander?"

The Masked Man's wandering head snapped back, seemingly to glare at her and he took a few seconds to answer before finally opening his mouth. "Selthris Vikeruce," he finally answered, eliciting a curiously raised eyebrow from her. "A nameless noble from the land of Aselia," he explained briefly as he seemingly glared forward at her before continuing on. "If you are to fight against him... then make certain that you win."

"What do you mean?" Amnash asked curiously, a light auburn eyebrow rising up to match her expression.

The Masked Man seemed almost to smirk behind his mask as he finished the next sentence on his lips. "He has managed to shock not even just Etherthien with his fighting prowess but Naerith as well."

"T-The motherland?" The Swordmaster parroted, eyes widening with yet more alarm.

"It would appear he has set a target on my back for killing his foolish father...," the Field Marshal spoke lowly, almost as if to himself as he turned, presumably to walk to the side in thought. "Like father like son I suppose." The Masked Man chuckled lowly, a smirk upon his words as he spoke. Amnash narrowed her eyes similarly lowly at him as she listened; she was well aware of her superior's strength and the reported death of the continent's supposed greatest warrior.

She almost couldn't believe it when she was told.

"Push them back," the Field Marshal's low voice came rumbling through, pulling the wide-eyed Swordmaster from her thoughts. She watched him curiously as he snapped his masked head back to glare at her. "Or there will be nothing left for you." He intoned firmly before turning his head with his heel and marching off as quickly as he had said it.

Though she despised his secrecy and perhaps his very character himself, Amnash shot up her forearm to salute the man off in a show of duty and loyalty, regardless of how she felt.

She couldn't help the feelings of excitement running through her veins at the idea of a possible challenge.

~

Even as he placed his hard white boots on the surface of the crunching snow, Selthris' silver eyes darted in silent counting of the amount of men ahead of them.

Two... three hundred maybe?

Perhaps around that number.

Know thy enemy and know thyself.

"All right, all units, stop marching!" The High Lord exclaimed out as he held a decisive arm out to his right, a hard frown on his expression as always.

His firm silver eyes remained stuck on the opposing army of Naerith men before them, clearly stationed on their ballista and other equipment. Selthris tore his eyes away from the center unit in the middle of the area, strangely drawn to it before suddenly facing his own forces, scowling and all.

"Your intel. was right on the money Hawke, nice work," he praised in his hard emotionless scowl, nodding towards the similarly nodding masked warrior. He faced the rest of the group as he spoke. "If there's one thing most of you do well it's hitting hard and hitting fast," he explained briefly, eliciting a morale raised war cry from the nameless soldier unit in the back. "And that's exactly what we're gonna need here today," he claimed as he turned back, eyes glaring narrowed and all at the center unit once more. He felt another pair of eyes glaring back at him. "Now, Hawke and I reinforce the frontlines! Leo, Ulric, Kay and George; you support our sides from the right!" He exclaimed loudly enough for the group to hear, edging his thumb back the way.

The named Mercenary, two Cavaliers and veteran Paladin all nodded silently in obeying.

"Gorlin, Gerard, Edgar and Sabine; I want your unit to handle the defences of the main attack unit! Whatever Hawke and I miss, I want you four to handle!" He exclaimed loudly, eyes narrowing down at the trio, eliciting an excited nod from the grinning Gorlin and a simple business-like one from the rest of the listening four.

"W-What about me?!"

The High Lord's silver eyes widened in surprise of his own and he darted them in the voice's direction. The frowning Tina stood next to the smirking Ariella and frowning Norman. Selthris narrowed his eyes at her thoughtfully before quickly exchanging a look with the watching Leo. The Mercenary gave his close companion a light confirming nod and Selthris re-opened his mouth to finish his orders.

"That Pegasus of yours still fly?" The High Lord asked, re-raising his head to nod upwards at her, indicating his question. Her expression lit up and she ran her left gloved hand through her messy teal hair as she did so.

"Of course!"

"Then you can join Hawke and I on the frontlines," he called over lowly; she grinned back happily in response. He narrowed his eyes however. "Bear in mind; these are ballista," he claimed further as he scowled at the woman, his emotion not present. Her grin almost immediately fell flat in response to his words. "If one of those things even grazes you then..."

"I'll be fine!" She exclaimed over him, eliciting the group to turn and watch her. She fidgeted under their gaze before re-opening her mouth, presumably to assert herself. "I promise," she chuckled this time, as if completely confident of herself. "My Pegasus, she's the best flier I've ever seen."

Selthris looked thoughtful for a moment as he stared down at her, as if pondering. Finally, Leo opened his own mouth to voice his own opinion.

"Sel the more we sit here and bicker the more time they-"

Selthris nodded, deftly shutting his own silver eyes in a low sigh of defeat before re-raising his eyes to face her and nodding. Her expression lit up in a happy grin once more.

"Stay close to us, no stragglers," he ordered as he frowned down at her firmly. Perhaps ecstatic at being included in the frontline offence, she merely nodded in obeying. "Ariella, Norman," he addressed this time, turning to face the old woman and the scimitar-wielding warrior below him. "Stay with the reserve unit in the back; tend to any of the injured as best you can." He ordered lowly, eliciting a grinning bow and nod from the listening old woman. Norman, arms folded, similarly nodded in response.

Turning on his heel to face the central unit of his enemy once more, Selthris' silver eyes narrowed in a hard scowl, this time of hatred.

"Okay...," he murmured lowly, perhaps to himself before swiftly unsheathing the sword the Masked Man left for him on Wrulz Mountain back in Etherthien. He spun it twice and very lightly before gripping it with both hands, hilt first and pointing at the sky ahead of him. With a deft spin of the blade itself to his right side he put on his hard scowl and bent his body forward to increase his speed before opening his mouth for his last orders. "All available units attack!"

–-

2

Even as Tina and her Pegasus flew alongside the leaping pair, Selthris and Hawke stayed close to the young woman, perhaps in an attempt to protect her. Selthris' silver eyes couldn't help but snap back to her on his right, as if to confirm her safety while he leapt past the incoming arrows, boulders and ballista arrows.

Finally as they managed to approach the first hill on their right, clearly housing a ballista, Hawke called out the boy's name, forcing him to turn to face her. He nodded in response, his previous orders reverberating and echoing across his mind's subconscious. Utilising her own Aegir she managed to use her own palms as a stepping stone for the light youth; Selthris leapt on top and very quickly was sent launching forward with intense speed.

He spun around in his careering an insurmountable amount of times before finally grunting hard as he crashed into the wide-eyed Sniper atop the ballista with his boot. Quickly trying to finish the man before his shocked Halberdier compatriot attempted to intervene, Selthris used his left arm to grasp at the weaker man's own forearm before spinning him around, effectively striking the yelping Halberdier across the face, sending him tumbling across the snow. Finally, Selthris tossed the Sniper with a loud grunt back the way he came, allowing the masked Hawke to finish him off with an expert forward flip, smashing a dagger into the back of his unprotected head. Though Selthris put on a small smirk in confident delight at the scene behind him he was given no time to appreciate it further; the Halberdier in front of him had soon recovered and rushed him with a lunging stab of his steel lance.

Selthris' silver eyes shot wide open as he bent his head backwards to avoid the stab before deftly sliding across to his right in an attempt to recover; the angry Halberdier scowled down at him as he pursued the youth for a series of further stabs. Selthris scowled angrily back at the man, shooting his sword up in diagonal defence; the weapons clashed noisily against one another, drowned out by the deafening sounds of men's roaring and combat below them.

Though he was confident he could block and perhaps even parry the man's attacks, he found his footing was compromised unfortunately and growled as he attempted to sway himself back on the hill. The nameless Halberdier noticed this and, with a laugh, pressed forward once more in an attempt to finish the job. Selthris' eyes widened; a proverbial deer in headlights.

"Hya!"

The Halberdier's shocked wide-eyed frown snapped to his right but by then it was far too late; a steel lance of his mystery opponent's own came crashing into his unprotected side, eliciting a pain-filled yell from the man. Selthris' eyes widened once more as he traced the weapon back to its owner; the hard frowning Tina atop her mount. As she ripped the bloody man's body from her own lance, she turned down to give the surprised youth a low grin, her Pegasus soaring higher into the air. Selthris couldn't help but put on a small grin of his own, his eyes locked with hers before swiftly regaining his hard scowl and snapping back to examine the battlefield.

As he had expected, Gorlin's unit's defence had managed to support most of the other soldiers as they marched slowly but surely forward and whatever their defence missed, the Aselian unit led by Ulric helped to both attack and defend the incoming Naerith soldiers.

Good, he thought.

He snapped his head upward however to quickly watch the leaping Hawke shoot a series of super-fast arrows into the next ballista's Sniper on their left, satisfyingly defeated. Selthris nodded, more to himself than to anyone else, his previous feelings of unease leaving him.

What was he so afraid of?

Whatever it was, it was still there, lurking in the air.

He shook his head in an attempt to rid himself of his ever negative thoughts before grunting as he used his Aegir to vault himself upward as he high as he could. His silver eyes narrowed firmly down at the next ballista below him, dead ahead. At the zenith of his jump, the narrow-eyed High Lord growled lowly as he used another vestige of his own Aegir to power his body and his sword with his affinity; lightning.

Using just another sliver of his Aegir, he grunted as he spun his body around in a circular spin, swirling around at a speed to match the lightning crackling around his body. Finally, he pushed himself downward, aiming recklessly for the two wide-eyed men atop the ballista; another Sniper and Halberdier duo. This time however he smashed his lightning infused body into the roaring Halberdier's, causing immediate burns and sent him flying across the snowy sky, harmlessly away from his current position. He spun around similarly as he landed, the snow melting under his feet as a result of the strong fire-like Quintessence that burned on his body. His eyes widened however as he caught the sight of his enemy Sniper aiming the ballista's bow upward. He quickly traced its presumed trajectory to find the sailing Tina and cursed under his breath.

"Shit." The youth growled under his breath before leaping forward and yelling as he attempted to stop the man's attempt.

Unfortunately however, he was merely a millisecond too late.

The ground rumbled roughly and the arrow shot from the device caused a loud whine to reverberate across the air. Selthris even had to stop his leap and grip at the ground to avoid falling from the sheer force it commanded; his eyes widened and, like a deer in headlights, watched the giant arrow chase the unknowing Pegasus Knight.

She turned her teal haired head just in time to catch it sailing toward her at top speed; her eyes visibly widened but even as she raised her steel lance to block it, it did nothing for the poor youth. The giant arrow merely smashed through her weapon and easily impaled her through her lower stomach. The Pegasus Knight's eyes widened even further, if that were possible, and she coughed out blood from her grievous wound. The sounds of combat below her began to drown down to a mere mumble as she rolled her eyes back and grew limp; simply dropping from her mount.

"Fuck!" Selthris squawked angrily as he watched her drop. Quickly reaching further into his Aegir he used the lightning he commanded to launch him forward in an attempt to catch her. He spun his body around, as before, in an attempt to avoid the Archer and Snipers' unit's arrows below him, his lightning Aegir easily knocking the arrows back of its own accord. Time slowed down for the scowling boy as he suddenly grasped at her, lower legs and top back first. He stared down at her for a second or two that lasted longer than he had expected, watching the light trickle of blood escape the sides of her mouth before suddenly pulling her close and scrunching his eyes shut.

A huge giant arrow from a third ballista shot at him and with cat-like reflexes, he just barely managed to avoid it by spinning his body in time with his lightning. Time slowed down for the youth once more as he felt the gigantic arrow whiz past him, his eyes still scrunched shut roughly. He re-opened them however when he felt the flow of time revert to normal and gasped when he caught a grinning Swordfighter standing just where he was about to land.

"Fuck!" He cursed a second time, this time in his mind as he scowled down at the smirking young woman below him.

His hands were full; he couldn't hope to defend both him and her!

Before his thoughts could descend into full blown despair however; an arrow from his diagonal top right intruded in on the confrontation and sunk into the young woman's wide-eyed neck, causing her to gasp and gurgle before suddenly falling to the white snow in a mess of blood and pain. His eyes shot up to his top right to find the masked Hawke watching him from her back. She nodded at him and he couldn't help but smirk back in a thankful gesture before landing with a grunt. He spun around on his feet and narrowed his eyes at his front, his eyes darting at the Naerithian front versus the Aselian.

Things seemed too dicey.

But he had no choice.

"Come on you motherfuckers...," Selthris murmured, more to himself than to anyone else, as if to rev himself up. As if a bull in a china shop, he used his left boot to kick back at the snow behind him, readying to charge. "Come on!" He roared, wide-eyed as he used his Aegir to vault himself forward once more.

~

Behind enemy lines, deprived of using his weapon and in one hell of a rush.

Selthris' situation was dire, to say the least.

However his anger and his hatred, managed to propel him forward further than he ever thought he could go.

Countless surprised and shocked Soldiers, Halberdiers, Archers, Snipers and Mercenaries leapt at him in an attempt to take him out; he simply used them as mere stepping stones. Even as he used his lightning Aegir to scare off any unsure members of the Naerith rear guard he pictured the face of the Masked Man in his mind to help propel him further forward.

However, unfortunately, it was perhaps his very limited focus that caused him to lose sight in the first place; all it took was a single fast Swordfighter to leap at him from the corner of his eye.

A mistake he would have never missed otherwise.

And one he would pay the price for.

The one time his lightning Aegir shield had to dissipate was when the young man slashed at him roughly and clumsily but regardless of his own skill, his aim was true; Selthris roared in pain as the attack cut deeply across his silver tabard below his chest. His scowl immediately shot over to the gasping wide-eyed Swordfighter and, overcome with energy and adrenaline, he threw the silent Tina up high into the air before taking his sword back out. He immediately grabbed the youth by his shoulder and roughly stabbed his unprotected robed body, causing a gurgle of pain from him in response. Selthris stared back into him, his eyes full of hatred before he abruptly and roughly grunted as he ripped the screaming young man across his blade, sending him back tumbling and rolling into his own unit of men.

Quickly sheathing his sword once more, he spun around in mid-air with use of his Aegir before suddenly managing to catch the descending Tina once more in his arms. Burning his Quintessence once more in a final effort to finish his job, the youth growled as he used the yelling men below him as stepping stones, rushing for his own military force.

It was the wide-eyed Mercenary, Leo, that first managed to notice him; he turned from finishing his engagement with a grunting, falling Soldier and called out in response.

"Sel!" He called out before turning to face the rest of the Aselian unit and the reserves behind him. "Medic!" He called over loudly, his voice echoing across the snowy hills of Naerith.

In one last push, Selthris grunted as he used his lightning Aegir to career him forward however his injury from before managed to intervene with his recovery; the young High Lord growled in pain as he stumbled in his leap, falling to the snowy ground as gracelessly as he had feared. The youth however had managed to turn his body around to land on his back, the unconscious Tina supported in his grip.

He gasped as his burning Quintessence melted the rest of the snow that lay under them both, his eyes scrunched shut. He re-opened them to find a small unit of men and women standing above him, all led by the firm frowning Ariella and Norman.

"Norman; take her from him to the tent in the back!" The old woman called out suddenly; the black haired scruffy soldier waited for no more and nodded as he effortlessly grasped the woman in the gasping Selthris' grip, easily walking off with her in tow. "Where are you damaged?" The Alchemist called out loudly as she bent down to look at the fallen youth. Selthris growled as he forced himself up to a seating position, however, the pain from the Swordfighter's strike caused him to yell again and grip downward. Her eyes snapped down to his hands and she nodded once, as if already understanding.

"I'll be- I'll be f-fine just get me a Vulnerary or something-"

"Are you joking you idiot boy?!" She hissed under her breath, presumably so the rest of the listening unit couldn't hear them. She leaned into him and nodded down at his injury, glaring back at him. "That's a life-threatening injury! Whoever hit you with that was aiming for your Quintessence chords!"

Selthris blinked before lowering his silver eyes downward.

He supposed that's why it hurt so bad.

More you know.

"We have no extra manpower or time to move, we have to operate now," the old woman claimed as she laid down a set of tools and bottles. Selthris' eyes widened and he opened his mouth to respond but was swiftly interrupted before he could finish. "I know you'll be fine. Well you will be under my care, got it?" The Alchemist added with a low smirk, watching him with a sense of joy. Selthris couldn't help but smirk back lowly in spite of the blinding pain before re-opening his mouth once more to respond.

"What do you mean operate? It can't be that bad?"

"It can and it is," she spoke once more as she quickly went through her tools, as if to confirm. "Whatever hit you has managed to hit deep and unless we reconnect those chords, you will die."

Selthris' silver eyes widened and he opened his mouth, yet no words came out.

"Now you see how serious this is," she added as she raised her eyebrows at him. Selthris lowered his own eyes, cursing himself in his own anger. "Lay back," she requested as she frowned down at him. He nodded and obliged, watching as another woman bent down next to them, presumably to act as an assistant. "Get those clothes off him!" She exclaimed over her shoulder as she pulled out more tools for presumable use.

The assistant medic obliged and, driven by time issues, ripped the silver tabard from his chest, revealing his slim front gashed with a deep cut. Selthris' own eyes widened in shock as he looked down at it, surprised at the severity of his wound and his earlier obliviousness to it.

"You're lucky to be alive you young fool...," Ariella murmured lowly under her breath as she shook her head disapprovingly, grabbing a spare cloth and dousing it with a liquid from one of her bottles. As she applied it to his wound Selthris' eyes enlarged even further and, as his breath caught in his throat, he could barely manage a scream from the sudden onslaught of pain that viciously ensnared his lower stomach. "Oh stop making that face!" The Alchemist exclaimed, clearly annoyed. "Barely a scratch; you'll be fine!"

"I better be...," the High Lord muttered lowly as he lay back down, shutting his eyes temporarily to help with the pain. "I can't die yet."

Ariella couldn't help but smirk lowly in response as she took the cloth back, the wound successfully disinfected. "That's what I like to hear," she chuckled before quickly grabbing some more tools and lowering them down to his stomach. "How did this happen?"

"T-Tina," the young swordsman gasped out as he lay back, eyes re-opening to stare at the snowy sky above him. "S-She was... about to be... hit..."

Ariella's eyebrows rose in sheer surprise; she couldn't help but stare at him for a few seconds. "This happened... because you tried to save her?"

"I know; fucking idiot," the youth managed to rasp out once more before using one of his free hands to knock against his forehead in a show of sheer frustration. "I should know better... than to do this stupid shit."

"You've picked up cursing a lot now as well I see," the Alchemist smirked lowly as she bent down to examine the youth's wound, eyes narrowing. "Well, for what it's worth, you did the right thing."

"Pft," he shot back in obvious dismissal, his tone an angry one. "I shouldn't have bothered risking my neck; she'd never have done the same for me."

His comments managed to leave her wordless for a few moments; she watched him lie there staring at the sky and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Is that truly how you feel?" She asked this time, raising a curious eyebrow as she did so, using her small tools to connect the youth's broken Aegir threads. He grunted in further pain as she used them carefully but roughly through his insides. "I know I've already argued with you about this but..."

"Yeah, yeah it is," the High Lord shot back lowly as he breathed heavily. "The only one I can say would is probably Leo."

"So you say," Ariella chuckled in a low smile before she narrowed her eyes, losing her smile as quickly as she gained it. "Okay, here we go."

Selthris' eyes scrunched shut once more, cringing with the agony of his insides being operated on. It seemed to last forever for the youth but, finally, she was seemingly done.

"Okay, good," the Alchemist stated, business-like as always as she pulled her tools back, placing them in her case. She reached for a needle and thread, quickly readying them. "Going to stitch you up now."

"Good," Selthris nodded in agreement, his eyes still shut. "I want to get back out t-"

"No!" The old woman exclaimed suddenly as she finished preparing, scowling down at him in obvious annoyance. "You do that and you will die; I promise you!"

"You're not my mother," He shot back as he lowered his eyes to lock with hers. "I know the risks but I'm confident I'll be fine; if it wasn't for Tina's mistake I wouldn't be like this."

Ariella watched him silently for a second or two before sighing through her nose. "Very well. At least take a Vulnerary with you then."

"I've already got one." He said with a grin, eliciting a similar faced expression from the old woman. She shook her head however in her grin before lowering her needle and thread to stitch him up.

"All right then here we go..."

–-

3

"If you are to fight against him... then make certain that you win."

Amnash frowned forward as she watched the brunt force of her troops being slowly pushed back, the Masked Man's low toned words echoing in her brain.

She never liked him, never trusted him.

But she could never deny his strength or his contributions to Naerith.

If the Masked Man himself seemed to speak even a smidgen highly of anyone... then she was honest that she was worried about even engaging with this supposed nameless noble from Aselia.

Her eyes wandered downwards, clearly lost in thought.

What if she were to lose?

Even if she survived the encounter... the higher ups would likely kill her.

Kill or be killed; the motto of the Naerith military.

"Lieutenant Colonel sir!"

Ripped away from her previous thoughts, her eyes widened lightly as she re-raised her head and her eyes to frown up at another of her nameless members of her unit.

Somehow she felt a sense of deja vu.

"Um, y-yes?"

"Things are looking very bad for us out there on the frontlines," he spoke as he gripped his iron lance and shield tightly to his chest. "We could really be doing with either some reinforcements or your presence on the battlefield."

The Swordmaster nodded, her snow matted short hair shaking the flakes from it. "Yes, all right then," she began in reply before continuing. "Inform the men I am on my way."

The Soldier nodded in his frown underneath his helmet, bowing respectfully. "Yes sir, Lieutenant Colonel sir!" He exclaimed dutifully before turning to run off for the rest of the unit. Amnash sighed lowly once more and for the umpteenth time that day before slowly unsheathing her Hero Sword, the very sharp sound itself drowned out by the loud sounds of warfare ahead of her. She glared forward at the incoming Aselian force before bending her body backwards and rushing forward.

~

"So... that's it?" Selthris asked lowly as he stood in the harsh cold, rolling his shoulders around his half naked body. Ariella stood behind him, cleaning her utensils after use, a light smile on her face.

"I did say I was good."

"Huh." The youth couldn't help but murmur under his breath as he lowered his silver eyes to watch the once deep gash now-turned-scar across his lower stomach.

"General! We need the general!"

The pair looked up from their examinations to find a gasping Soldier of the Etherthien alliance. He gasped as he dropped to one knee, presumably exhausted.

"What's wrong?" Selthris merely questioned, raising a curious eyebrow upwards as he did so. "How are things going on the battlefield?"

"Th-They were going well until j-just now!" He exclaimed again as he forced himself back up to his feet, eyes mixing with the narrowed Selthris.

"Why, what's happened?" The High Lord exclaimed back, a louder, angrier tone of voice as he leant in, silver eyes narrowed.

"A w-woman, we think the enemy commander... she's making mincemeat of us all!"

Selthris' eyes widened.

Leo.

Was he all right?

His eyes immediately darted to the frontlines before swiftly throwing a reply over his shoulder. "Appreciate it!" He called over to the frowning Ariella before deftly flipping forward to pursue the enemy forces. She merely nodded as she watched him, finishing off cleaning her tools.

"He's going to freeze out there...," the Alchemist mumbled under her breath as she shook her head disapprovingly. "Idiot boy."

–-

4

His strength returned from his previous injury, Selthris utilised his lightning affinity Aegir to carry him further than he thought he ever could go. As he passed the main bulk of the Etherthien troops he managed to catch sight of the fallen forces of the two units he had trusted with earlier.

Ulric's and Gorlin's.

Ulric lay on the ground next to Kay and George, similarly unconscious.

Where was-?

His eyes darted up to the center of the combat to find the woman he was told about engaged with the narrow-eyed Leo, sword mashed against sword. As soon as he caught them together however, the woman managed to overpower him; pushing him back and sending the gasping Mercenary stumbling backward. The Swordmaster leapt forward and swept the Mercenary's legs, causing a knock-down; Leo's eyes widened as he dropped to the snowy ground with a pained grunt. His eyes shot up to his right to find the Swordmaster above him twirling her own sword around as she spun before attempting to plunge it down.

Before her Hero Sword could even touch his sky-blue armour however, it clashed noisily and scraped excruciatingly with a peculiar one. Leo's eyes widened a second time as he recognised the blade; tracing it to find its owner he found the horribly scowling faced Selthris leapt in between them, defending him with his familiar weapon.

The unnamed woman's own eyes were widened as she watched the intruder, clearly shocked. Time slowed down for the pair as they glared at one another, locked in their poses; the woman stabbing her weapon down and Selthris sailing through the air horizontally. Eventually and suddenly as well however time returned to its normal flow and the silver haired swordsman used his lightning Aegir to burn away at the snow to assist his skidding fall. He turned his body around to face his new enemy, glaring hatefully at her.

"You!" He heard her call at him; he shot up his head to face hers and narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. "What's your name?" She questioned, pointing her sword at him accusingly. Her short brown hair blew lightly in the snowstorm that passed over them. Selthris glared back wordlessly before finally deigning to open his mouth.

"I'm the commander," he answered over loudly enough over the sounds of combat and the storm. "Name is Selthris!" He exclaimed this time as he stood up straight, scowling. The woman's eyes widened and, as she turned to lightly kick at the grunting Leo's side, he took the message and raised himself up to run off, presumably to safety.

"What luck!" The nameless Swordmaster grinned back lightly as she whiffed a diagonal slash, taking a few steps forward. Selthris leant his body to the side as he watched her, looking for weaknesses of any kind. "My name is Amnash; Lieutenant Colonel of the Naerith Special Forces!"

Selthris merely remained wordless as he listened, narrowing his eyes.

"What say, you and me?" She called over, less loudly this time as she grinned over at him. "Your comrades... couldn't put up much of a fight."

His eyes darted over to the fallen forms of his unconscious allies. He was shocked that some of the stronger ones had fallen.

Moreover where was Hawke?

Keeping the other bulk of the enemy forces busy he supposed.

"I'm told you're the only son of the greatest warrior in the world!" She called out to him once more; her words caused his eyes to dart back to hers, still scowling. "Why don't we both save some effort on our own forces, hm?" She questioned as she got closer to him, a small smile playing on her face. Selthris' own expression remained as constant as the chilly snow that burned at his open chest.

"Yeah," he agreed, speaking lowly as she stopped just a few steps ahead of him. "You and me; winner take all?"

"Agreed," the newly introduced Amnash smirked lowly as she watched him similarly suspiciously. "Let me see...," she began again as she bent her body backwards, presumably for battle. "The true inheritor of the legendary soldier!"

~

Selthris easily parried her initial rushing swipe; he quickly noted her high speed as he turned his silver eyes to his right where he felt her go. Snapping his head behind him to presumably find his new opponent however he was surprised when he saw nothing but the snowstorm behind him.

Where was-?

Before he could even think of reacting he felt her crash her knee into the front of his jaw, causing him to step and stumble back in the snow, scowling as he did so. Eyes widening however as he realised his defence was open she did as expected and leapt forward to pursue. Selthris grunted with each painful swipe and slash she delivered to his bare chest and lower body, sending them moving backward with each attack.

Finally though, Selthris managed to recover by moving back just half a step, allowing him to duck the incoming horizontal slash she delivered. When she realised her blunder, her eyes widened and she turned them down to the scowling Selthris'. He used both his white boots to smash into her exposed robed stomach, sending her grunting painfully into the air. The High Lord grunted once as he used his speed and dexterity to swiftly backflip to a standing position, still lightly crouched and gripping his sword tightly.

With a rush to his lightning Aegir he growled as he used his speed to follow hers, following after her using an after-image technique. By the time he had caught up with her, diagonally chasing her through the air, she managed to recover and similarly disappeared suddenly with an after-image technique of her own as Selthris roughly slashed at the air where she once was. The youth was left wide-eyed, darting around in search for her. His Aegir gave a bright zap that let him know she was directly behind him, bringing her Hero Sword down upon him roughly.

Selthris, again, used his after-image to evade the attack before deftly horizontally slashing across the air as he flew. As he had done she growled before swiftly disappearing from use of her own Quintessence, spinning around for a stab as she reappeared in front of him. Selthris ducked as he also performed an after-image disappearing act before attempting to roughly cut vertically upward below her; she saw him and did just as before to avoid him. Perhaps angry with her opponent's own speed, she reappeared again, this time in a roaring spin attack to cover every angle she could.

Unfortunately however her lower region was exposed and Selthris took the opportunity; after disappearing as he had done before, he deftly reappeared and yelled as he smashed his left knee into her exposed lower stomach. The Swordmaster gasped, eyes widened in proverbial pain from the sudden and vicious strike. The two hovered like that, suspended in the air with the gradual expel of their own Aegir before Selthris finished up his offence with a grunting elbow, smashed through her back.

The Swordmaster yelled in further pain as she was sent sailing back down toward the ground; Selthris flew down after her, eyes hard and face scowling as before. Unfortunately for him however, she managed to recover as he brought his sword down in a decisive attempt to finish the fight; the woman growled angrily as she hit the snowy deck with her arms and legs before swiftly disappearing with the use of her after-image technique. Selthris grunted, similarly angrily as he ripped his sword from the bed of light fluff before swivelling his body around and back-dashing through the air to lower the impact of his enemy's unavoidable scowling assault.

As he had half-expected, the horribly faced Amnash reappeared, smashing her Hero Sword against his own. The two skid backwards from the sheer force that she exuded; the two opponents glared at one another, similarly hate-filled and desperate. Finally however, Amnash easily pushed the grunting High Lord back a step before slashing across the air roughly and executing a nigh insurmountable number of slices toward him. Utilising his best statistic, speed, Selthris growled in kind as he shot up his sword in successful attempts to block the wild offence she offered.

Perhaps annoyed with his limber body, she scowled again as she attempted to throw a sweep in for good measure to knock him down; the youth saw it and with widened eyes, used his free left hand to cartwheel safely to his left. She, of course, pursued him and yelled with her growing aggravation as she attempted to sweep his legs once again. This time however, the agile High Lord vaulted himself off the snowy ground with a deft number of graceful forward flips before landing on the woman's wide-eyed shoulder. He grunted as he used his Aegir to push her down roughly via his right boot; she yelped in the sudden and shock-filled pain that he caused before catching herself at the last second.

As Selthris finished his final flip, he recovered slowly on the ground, body leant closely to his left as he did so. Amnash leant her own body, in kind to her opponent's; to her far right before suddenly disappearing from common view. Selthris' silver eyes darted to his undefended left before deftly emergency evading his body to his lower right, shooting his left white boot for her face. As he had half-expected she stood directly over and behind him, sword raised up to attack with; she defended his diagonal kick with her right arm, shaking in a mix of effort and enduring in the harsh chilly weather.

She recovered faster than he could have predicted however and roared as she plunged her Hero Sword down for him. Moving fast and utilising his Quintessence, the youth suddenly leapt to his right to avoid the blow, his electric Aegir visibly crackling in his silver aura. With yet another scowl however the lightning infused High Lord reappeared in the same area as before, darting in with a dive kick, his right boot faced first.

As he had half-expected however she disappeared herself, seemingly as if into no-where to avoid his blow. Selthris cursed lightly under his breath however he was allowed little to no time to consider it as he felt her re-approaching for a presumed counter-attack. With as much time as he had, he managed to block her diagonal swipe but the jarring from their singing blades caused them to drop the weapons; they roughly spun wildly from their wielders' hands, spinning before landing in opposite directions of one another.

With no other way to attack, the pair opted to strike with similar diagonal kicks; they both struck true. Selthris and Amnash both reeled back from their powerful strikes, levitating through the air as they did so. Finally however time recovered to its normal flow and the pair sailed across the air before simultaneously rolling through into landing on their hands and feet. They used their Aegir to push their own bodies off the freezing ground toward their fallen weapons; grabbing them in a similar side-flip, they glared at one another wordlessly as they floated through the air.

Finally however they made their final attempt to finish the confrontation; with identical growls the pair shot off toward one another, as if arrows shot from a crossbow. Though their speed was bullet-like, for the Aselian swordsman and Naerith swordsman, the moment dragged on like a horse to a cart. Eventually though, and suddenly as well, the pair came within kissing distance to one another and they both exclaimed loudly with their simple stab attempts to finish one another off. Amnash's eyes shot wide-open as she felt his lightning infused sword push past her crimson ebony robes; she coughed out a similar coloured liquid from her insides and looked down to find it.

Blood.

Her eyes quickly darted in search for her own weapon and, sure enough, its blade found its target. He stood on the opposite end of her, her sword run through his lower chest similarly. She couldn't help but smirk even in spite of her grievous wound.

Wait a minute, she thought, a light bulb cracking on in her head as she watched the blade sticking in his chest.

Where was his blood?

Her eyes instinctively rose up to meet his hard silver ones and he merely scowled back at her.

How could-?

Unless-?!

As if reading her mind, he suddenly disappeared from her view before suddenly reappearing before her, grunting as he stuck his weapon into her lower stomach a second time.

Her fears had seemingly come true; the High Lord had managed to not only hit her in his evasion...

… but he finished her off with a final, second stab of his own.

And all while avoiding death himself, without a top on.

She couldn't help but laugh in quiet defeat as he yanked his sword from her chest roughly, grunting in the effort. Time slowed down for the woman as she dropped to the ground, almost as if fainting. Finally she crashed to the ground and the once Christmas white around her became caked with the fiery crimson of her lifeblood.

–-

5

Even in spite of her pain filled wound, Amnash could do little but laugh up at the scowling Selthris, her defeat as plain as the falling flakes of snow around them. Her eyes soon became stained with tears and, in kind, her vision became blurry as she watched the firm-faced footsoldier above her. He began to morph into another man entirely; bigger muscles, shorter silver hair and a far more regal appeal to him.

It was definitely him.

She laughed again, her breath caught in her throat as she gurgled the incoming stress of blood inside her.

"Oceiros; it is you," she managed out in a raspy chuckle. The man above her raised a curious eyebrow as he listened to her, as if to allow her to continue. "To have fought with... the greatest living soldier... in the world...," she tried again, coughing mid-speech before putting on a low grin in spite of her great physical pain. "Was truly an honour."

"Oceiros?" The man murmured lowly above her; his blurry form soon began to stabilise once more and the scowling form of Selthris stood above her. "Do you mean Sathryon Vikeruce?"

"B-But-" The woman stammered out before coughing out violently this time, blood now covering her similarly shaded robe. "Aren't you Oceiros?"

Selthris rock-like silver eyes slimmed down to a suspicious stare. "No," he merely answered before bending down on her level. "I am nothing like my father."

"That's... a lie," Amnash managed out in a pained, half cough, half laugh. "You fight like he does; like a legendary s-soldier... like a hero."

Selthris looked away from the blood covered woman, as if in shame of some kind before turning back to her. "Amnash," he began lowly this time. "You spared my companions' lives."

"Y-Yes, I couldn't... not yet...," the Swordmaster gasped out as she shut her eyes in silence, the snowflakes landing on her gashing wound. "They were... never my true enemy."

"Be well, Amnash," the High Lord replied lowly and calmly as he nodded down to her. "You weren't only a worthy opponent... but you were a better person than you probably think you are," he claimed as he frowned hard down at her. "Thank you for that," he thanked as he nodded down at her. He gripped at the sword he carried in his right hand before spinning it around, presumably for a downward stab. "How would you like to die?"

"Like this," she managed out in a low smile as she nodded at his sword. "Finish me, hero." She requested, her voice as light as the falling snowflakes on the back of his silver hair. Selthris scowled down at her before raising his sword up with both hands. Scrunching his eyes shut roughly he plunged the weapon down with no warning into her face. Almost as if to lend further power to the moment he lay in, the screams of the Naerith soldiers behind him finally began to die out with a final roar.

Interrupting his quiet moment however was the sound of hard crunching; shoes against snow. He re-opened his silver eyes and shot his head up to find the gasping Leo, seemingly still tired. His weapon was sheathed however, indicating their position on the battlefield. Selthris roughly yanked his sword from his opponent's face and twirled it around lightly, the blood splattering on the snowy ground below them.

"Well done," the Mercenary complimented with a grateful nod, similarly frowning. "I guess all it took to finish her in the end was a similar style." He claimed as he turned his eye down on her fallen, dead body.

He stared down at her a few seconds as his close companion examined his own sword before stepping over her, visibly heading towards the Aselian-Etherthien central army. Leo turned his head around to watch him leave, eyes lightly slimmed.

"Make sure you get some rest!" The Mercenary called on after him, his voice echoing in the snowy Naerith hills. As Selthris slowly marched toward the army he rose up his free left fist, back first to face him; as if in silent agreement somehow. Leo couldn't help but grow a very small smile as he watched him before swiftly losing it in favour of a sad frown as he turned down to the fallen Amnash.

Merely shaking his head for foolish thoughts however, the narrow-eyed Mercenary turned on his heel and slowly followed his close companion.


	19. Generational Rivals Clash

Chapter 19: Generational Rivals Clash; Open the Floodgates of Aegir!  
Mastering the Monarch Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.

Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Yellow Storm" - Dynasty Warriors 3 OST. Scene 4 (First Half).  
"Wall Day (Great Red Spirit ~ Dynasty Warriors 5) – Dynasty Warriors Online OST. Scene 4 (Second Half).  
"Let End Vicious Impediment" - Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom OST. Scene 5 (First Half).

\--

With Vonnorburd Field won and the Naerith menace chased from their very lands themselves, Selthris' Aselian-Etherthien force grows high in morale for the sole reason for their victory.

Their commander himself.

Though dull as a blade when it comes to strategy, Selthris' speed, skill, defence and strength are finally beginning to show fruit; in a fated confrontation with First Lieutenant Amnash of the Naerithian brigade, Selthris manages to overpower her. A woman with enough strength and speed to outclass most of the Aselian force themselves.

As she lay dying, the melancholic Swordmaster even mistook him for the greatest warrior their continent has produced; Sathryon Vikeruce. The Renegade Saints, and their commander the Masked Man, have all finally taken notice of this. Though usually very quick to call off his mortal enemy, the Masked Man at last begins to acknowledge Selthris as a possible candidate to be a worthy adversary.

The final steps, once considered nigh insurmountable, are perhaps inexorably and decisively drawn.

In the aftermath of the battle of Vonnorburd Field however, Selthris waits in silent sleep for his similarly slumbering patient...

\--

Scene 1

"I'm you; I'm your shadow!"

Selthris' silver eyes shot open and, in a pained grunt he sat up in the chair he lay in. His face scrunched up in a show of pain from the effort he was exuding on his tired body. Though he still wore nothing on his torso, a large bandage across his lower stomach, where his earlier wound was, was spread across it.

That battle took more out of him than he had thought.

When he felt a presence enter the tent he instinctively tensed up and snapped his silver haired head around before lightly relaxing back down into his seat.

Leo walked in with a tray of food, an ever sociable smile on his face.

"Still here huh?" He greeted in his low grin as he walked forward to place the tray down on a table next to the patient. Selthris' arms folded as he lay back in the light chair, watching the unconscious Tina sleep before turning his silver eyes back up at his close companion lazily.

"It's my fault she's like this, after all," he merely answered in a low sing-song type of tone, a hard frown on his face as if to suggest his distaste. "A man cleans up his mistakes," he added in a low sigh as he leant back in his chair. "One of the few good things my father ever said to me."

Leo's smile left him for a few seconds in response to the younger boy's words; the Mercenary watched him wordlessly before opening his mouth, as if to respond.

"Unh..."

The pair's eyebrows shot up and their heads snapped over to match their surprise; the messy haired Pegasus Knight seemed to stir straight across from them both. Using her unusually bare hands to rub at her eyes she narrowed them forward, almost as if to squint to see ahead of her. When she saw the frowning pair staring back at her she blinked.

"L-Leo?" She asked, eliciting a light smile from the Mercenary in response. "Com-Commander? Wh-Wha-?"

"Don't worry," the older youth smiled down at her as he lowered his hand with his words, as if for effect. "You've been out for a short while, just lay back and take the food," he offered as he pointed down to the tray next to her. She blinked over at it. "I'll leave you in the capable hands of-"

Even when he turned, he still couldn't believe the already slumbering form of Selthris, his arms folded and sitting upright. Lightly annoyed he kicked at the chair lightly and lowly, making the younger youth startle and gasp, jolting from his seat. When he looked up to find the lightly grinning Leo he scrunched his eyes shut and shook his head apologetically.

"Okay, you rest up!" The Mercenary exclaimed amiably over his shoulder as he walked back towards the exit of the tent, smiling at the pair as he did so. "Make sure she's okay Sel!" The sociable young man grinned at his best friend, offering his a suggestive wink.

Selthris rolled his eyes almost instinctively; an old habit from their earlier youth.

He sighed lightly through his nose as he turned his head back to face hers, arms still folded.

"Now that you're up...," he began as he looked her tired form up and down. "You feeling any better?"

Tina's eyebrows rose with light surprise before she put on a light smile and re-opened her mouth to respond. "Y-Yes now that you're-"

"Okay." Selthris merely replied with out of courtesy before swiftly standing up from his seat, using the bed she lay on for support.

Before he could continue however he felt her right hand suddenly grasp his and with surprising ferocity, the bed shaking from her sudden movement. Selthris froze, the contact surprising him; he shot his eyes up while bent over to find her similarly leaning forward and wincing in pain, presumably from her earlier excruciating wound.

"N-N-No, please don't... not yet..."

He couldn't help but watch her for a second before nodding, albeit begrudgingly; he hovered himself back down with a light wince of his own from his movement. As they pulled their hands back, Selthris lay his palms on his knees watching her intently; Tina merely recoiled her hands back, one covering the other as she held them close to her chest, her head held lowly away from his sight.

"What's wrong?" He asked suddenly, biting at the tension he could not sense in the air. She seemed to remain motionless, watching the fingers on her hands before finally responding. Selthris raised a curious silver eyebrow in anticipation when he saw her pull her own head up from her silent examination. She turned her sombre frown into a light smile.

"I... I remember you... catching me," she began, her voice soft and disarmingly tender. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he tensed in his seat as he watched her with a hard frown, unsure of how to react. "You saved my life commander," the Pegasus Knight murmured lowly before leaning further forward in her upright position. Instinctively, Selthris leant backward in his chair, his breathing becoming more laboured. "You act like you don't have a heart but you-"

CRASH

Selthris backed up so far from his seat that it crashed to the ground mid-speech; the surprised faced Tina's eyes rose up to meet his, an unsure expression in them. Selthris' hard frown soon twisted into a hateful scowl and he stared back at her bewildered gaze with a strange sense of anger.

"What's...," Tina began as she shook her teal headed hair at him in a show of her misunderstanding. "What's wrong commander? I don't under-"

"Shut up...," the High Lord muttered back as he narrowed his eyes at her angrily. Her own similarly teal eyes widened in response, listening intently to him. "I... I made a mistake; I let you on the battlefield when I knew I shouldn't have," he explained briefly as he raised his head up at her, almost as if to intimidate her. "People like you...," he began as he narrowed his eyes to thin slits, a judging expression on his face. "They don't care."

"No!" The Pegasus Knight angrily retorted as she growled in pain, forcing the quilt from her body. She stepped out of bed and took a few steps toward him, standing up to him in full display. Perhaps not entirely expecting it, Selthris' own narrowed eyes widened in complete shock. "You're wrong!" The teal haired woman shot back, glaring back at him. "I care!" The Pegasus Knight exclaimed, surprisingly loudly as she took another few steps toward him; as if to lend further emphasis to her words, she slammed her palm against the tent's wall behind him. Selthris gasped and took another step back in retreat, his teeth grit as he stared back at her, unsure of what to say.

"B-But you-"

"I care," she said, this time much more softly and with a light sighing voice as she leant in just a little further, her face hovering over his. Now in kissing distance the pair stared at one another wordlessly for a few uneventful seconds; Selthris in his silent shock and Tina in her quiet, almost morose frown. "Don't you see?" She laughed lightly, a ghost of a smile flashing across her face as she leant to her right, watching him quietly. "I know how you feel but you won't deny me of this," the passionate Pegasus Knight added, this time as she shook her head in a disapproving frown. Selthris' own eyes widened. "You saved my life; you took that responsibility on when you did that." She claimed confidently, a small grin on her face. Selthris watched her quietly for a few seconds, his earlier shock finally settled into his usual solid glower.

"You gave me no choice," the younger fighter hissed back, an angry tone clear in his words. She shrank back from his sudden leaning forward, wincing at the ugly morph of his scowl, matching the phrases he used. "When you rush headlong into battle like you do then you're bound to receive a life-threatening injury some time."

"B-But I wanted to help; I wanted to-"

"If you wanted to help then you should have stuck to the main advance unit!" He suddenly exclaimed, full of built-up anger and clear resentment. The hurt on her face was there but only for a mere second; she regained her look into a harder frown, watching him similarly suspiciously.

"Then why did you risk your neck to save me in the first place?" The Pegasus Knight spat back, alike in anger to her speaking partner.

The silver haired swordsman sighed as he ran his right hand over his face, eyes shutting in a clear show of frustration.

"That's just it; I have no fucking clue," the youth angrily cursed in his light groan. "My body just moved; I didn't wait to think about it."

Her furrowed brow soon stabilised once more and softened as another low smile began to creep at her expression once more.

"Because you're good," she soothed once more as she took a step forward, causing the youth to grunt in response; clear annoyance at her tone. "When you caught me... I felt you," she spoke softly as she leaned further. Though she veritably pushed him to the tent's walls, he leant himself back in retreat and stared down at her as angrily as he had done before, watching her suspiciously. Undaunted by his lack of neighbourliness, she pushed forward and pressed a hand softly on his open chest. "I felt your desperation; your passion." She whispered up at him and his scowl twitched lightly as he listened.

He knew what she was talking about.

His mind briefly flitted over when he was retreating with an unconscious Tina in his grip, running through behind enemy lines.

Nearly died then, sure, he thought.

"No-one's ever done that for me," Tina couldn't help but laugh as she shook her head, as if to show him her confidence. "And of all people to do it!" She exclaimed even louder this time with a second laugh. Selthris' hard scowl soon began to soften into a low frown, his eyelids lowering with her good mood. "I heard what the enemy commander called you before she died," the Pegasus Knight brazenly stated and without any sense of concern. Selthris' eyebrows rose to match his sudden surprise. "I think she was right; you really are a hero," she claimed in a light chuckle as she raised her right hand to run it through his similarly messy and spiky silver hair. She let her hand finally rest on his left cheek tenderly as she watched him before closing with a final sentence. "Son of the greatest warrior in the world; I can see it." She chuckled lowly as she watched him, a soft gaze to match the tone of her light grip.

Though he merely listened, her final words managed to bring him out of his silence; the youth's frown twitched before he slowly and almost deliberately raised up his free left hand to rest on hers. She watched it, surprised.

"You think you know me, do you?" The High Lord whispered lowly, his eyes narrowing to thin slits as he spoke, his tone similarly dangerous. Her eyebrows lifted in light surprise before she winced as he abruptly forced her hand from his face, stepping forward. She stepped back to retreat from his menacing advance. "You don't know me," he hissed angrily down at her as he walked further forward, his anger returned to him. "Fucking hero," he couldn't help but chortle this time, of clear mirthlessness. "I might be a hero to Aselia, when I eventually drive Naerith out... but what about Naerith themselves?" He questioned, his scowl gone and a similarly questioning tone to his words. He continued to advance on her and she gulped as she watched him, unsure of how to respond. "I'll be vilified as a war criminal that preyed on the weak of their country," he spat out, his scowl returned into full gear once more. They finally reached her bed and she gasped as she tripped, falling onto it with a similarly surprised squeak. He glared down at her almost hatefully, his head leant to his top right. "I'm no hero, Tina and neither was my father," he claimed lowly as he shook his head before finally finishing his speech. "I'm a bad man; I'm not the person you think I am." The young swordsman concluded with before swiftly turning on his heel and leaving for the tent flap, an annoyed grunt escaping him as he did so.

Tina, her eyes widened in shock, could only stare after him.

Even as he approached them his low scowl twitched; he caught the smiling pair standing not far from his current position. Leo and Ariella turned their heads around as they sensed him approaching and Selthris cursed silently to himself as he saw them.

He didn't have the spiritual stamina to endure and pretend he was in a sociable mood; not after that discussion with Tina.

He mustered as much energy as he could however in spite of this as he approached the pair; they turned to face him with knowing smiles on their faces.

"If it isn't the little hero himself!" Ariella laughed aloud, eliciting an annoyed twitch of his scowl.

He was beginning to despise that.

Very quickly.

"How is she in there?" The old Alchemist questioned, a light grin on her lips as she raised her eyebrow curiously.

"Fine," he merely spat back, hoping to end the conversation as soon as possible. He grin fell off her face as she blinked back at him and he snapped his silver eyes over to the watching and narrow-eyed Leo. "Leo; remind me next time if I do anything as stupid as what I did yesterday not to do it," he asked furiously. The Mercenary watched him quietly and opted to watch him curiously as he listened. "Or just fucking slap me or something, I don't care, just do something." The High Lord muttered lowly before pushing past the pair angrily, stomping away to leave the pair staring after him.

"Is he... all right?" Ariella hazarded to ask as she turned back to the slim-eyed Leo.

"I've seen him better...," the Mercenary replied, as if unsure before shaking his head. "But something's definitely hit him."

"You think he may be hiding something?" The Alchemist questioned further with a suspicious joining of her robed hands together. Leo turned his narrow-eyed frown on her and nodded.

"In the ten years I've known him he's never kept me in the dark about anything," Leo answered as he shook his head a second time before turning his eyes back on the retreating Selthris. "Whatever he's dealin' with... he's doin' it alone."

–

2

"AGAIN?!"

"Y-Yes General! I'm s-sorry but we-"

General Cain roared as he smashed his back armoured fist against the poor footsoldier's face. Though his own helmet and armour assisted in his defence, he was still sent tumbling down in a show of pain. He grunted, turning his bloodied lip up to cringe at the angry-faced General above him.

"I-I'm sorry but they were just too powerful!" The Soldier gasped up at him as he attempted to peel himself up off the ground.

"Excuses!" Cain hissed down angrily at the man before raising up his foot to presumably smash down upon him. The Soldier let out a blood-curdling scream of horror as he watched his superior attempt to injure him even further. "No Naerith man loses to an Aselian!"

"General Cain!"

The man in question gasped, snapping his eyes to his right to find the source of the voice. He lowered his foot when he saw the folded armed Masked Man staring back at him. He stood up straight and folded his own armoured arms before glaring back at him, watching him approach the pair, his boots clicking against the stone of the castle's corridor.

"You...," Cain slithered his words from his mouth as he turned it up at the approaching soldier, as if completely and utterly disgusted even at his presence. "Why are you here?" He demanded angrily, looking the masked figure up and down.

"To prevent you from lowering our forces even further...," the Masked Man merely muttered back in response before he turned his disguised face on the gasping Soldier below them. He nodded his head upwards; a silent gesture. The Soldier, only too happy to be relieved, scrambled to his feet and run off. Cain turned and grunted angrily in the yelping man's direction before turning his angry growl on the watching Masked Man. "And to inform you on news if you haven't learned-"

"Yes, I know," the General interrupted in a low sigh of impatience as he rose up his head in his display before lowering it once more to frown hard at his superior. "Those idiots have failed us again."

The Masked Man almost seemed to smirk beneath the visor he wore before re-opening his mouth to reply. "Well, that's one way to look at it I suppose."

"And the other is?" Cain angrily snapped back in response, tilting his head as he did so.

"That we are simply underestimating them, General Cain," the Masked Man stated as he watched the man quietly, his words seemingly taking on a patronising quality to them. "There is seemingly one soldier in their unit that managed to turn the tides, all by his lonesome."

"Oh yes?" Cain replied, this time a contrasting smirk to his words; his confidence shot up as he listened, raring for a challenge. "And who would this be?"

The masked warrior's eyes seemingly narrowed beneath his veil before finally responding. "The last surviving son of Sathryon Vikeruce."

The General's eyes shot wide open in response, taken off guard completely. His anger shot up to match his shock however, both at the news and at his superior.

"You mean that runt of his?" General Cain hissed back as he narrowed his eyes down at the surprisingly shorter masked warrior. "Selthris Vikeruce is it?"

The Masked Man merely nodded in response and Cain couldn't help but laugh aloud boisterously.

"You must be joking-"

"No," the Masked Man's words suddenly cut through his own, like winter's harsh cold through a quiet ember. "The surviving forces at Vonnorburd claim that they witnessed him killing First Lieutenant Amnash single handedly," he explained briefly, eliciting a shock filled widen of the General's eyes. Though he refused to gasp, as if to refuse his superior the satisfaction. "I have yet to truly believe this myself, but...," the Masked Man spoke as he turned his eyes away from his subordinate's before swiftly reconnecting them. "It would appear he has become stronger."

"This is ridiculous," General Cain laughed aloud as he shook his head, taking a refusal step backward in his words. "I can't believe-"

"You must believe General," the Masked Man's words hissed back as he similarly took an advancing step forward. "Now that King Alpheus has left us with no reinforcements and no communication since the beginning of this we must rely on ourselves if we hope to survive."

"B-But-"

"But nothing General!" The Masked Man's voice suddenly exclaimed in interruption; Cain finally allowed himself to gasp. "We are soldiers," he added with a low hiss, taking another step forward. Even as his height difference seemed to leave the pair at odds, the masked Field Marshal opted not to let it bother him. "Even without the borders of Naerith's king we will fight to defend ourselves. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes," Cain muttered lowly, taken off guard but recovering his senses. His hatred of his superior was briefly forgotten as he listened. "I will not be intimidated by the Aselian worms." He growled out hatefully. The Masked Man merely nodded in agreement before continuing.

"Our only hope now is to hit them with everything we have," he responded, eliciting a surprised raise of the General's eyebrows. "Do you understand?"

"I... I think so..."

"The Aselian force have two options; attack us here at Castle Naesbray or... take the fork and attack Wolveshire Fort," the superior claimed roughly but firmly, his words leaving a lasting impression on the shaking but nodding General. "I have formulated a strategy that we will go into in more depth later but..."

"Let me deal with that runt," Cain interrupted his superior with a hard grunt as he leaned forward to glare down at his commanding officer. "I was denied my revenge when you killed his weak father."

The Masked Man watched the General for a few hard seconds before, finally, he nodded and the hard scowl on Cain's face lit up into a wide grin.

"You and Major Raymond will take defences up at Wolveshire Fort; I imagine it's where he'll attack next," the Masked Man agreed before finishing. "Captain Eliana and myself shall stay here with a smaller reserve unit in case they send another force to attack us here."

Cain's blood rose to a boiling point and he couldn't help but grin.

He finally had a chance to enact the revenge he was after long since Sathryon's death.

Perhaps the boy can offer me a taste of what his father once possessed, he thought to himself in excitement.

"Do not underestimate the boy just because of his age," the Masked Man warned firmly, causing him to lose his grin in favour of a surprised frown. "Every opponent he has had, has done this at least once as far as I am aware; do not fall for his tricks."

"No Vikeruce can beat me," Cain merely chuckled as he re-folded his arms in response. "Not when I'm at full strength."

"Hmph...," the Masked Man murmured to himself before raising up his left index and forefinger together. As if in reaction, his lightning affinity for Aegir gave off crackles and zaps, his very form reacting to the artificial electricity that he created. "Do not fail us." He finished, his words leaving an echoing finality as his form finally disappeared with a light gust of electric wind.

Though he was left as he had expected, General Cain couldn't help but grow a small smirk on his face in anticipation for what was to come.

~

In spite of his earlier mood, Selthris had managed to quell his earlier anger to a mere lull as he finally entered the battle tent for the presumed next meeting.

"Mornin' boss," Gorlin's ever joyful call came from the back end of the tent. Selthris raised his head to find him folded armed and grinning happily as he usually did. "You look terrible," the Nomad Trooper chuckled, eliciting a rolling eyed grin from the similarly folded armed Sabine next to him. "What'd you do; get yourself caught in an ambush on the way here."

"Might as well have been...," Selthris muttered as he turned his silvery eyes away from the older man. Gorlin's eyebrows rose in quiet curiosity as he listened. "No, I'm fine," he corrected this time however as he shook the matter from the man's attention. Gorlin merely exchanged an unknowing shrug with the frowning Gerard on his left before turning back to face the group. "How is the morale looking?"

"Very well, actually," Leo answered for the younger boy, smiling wanly in his close companion's direction. Selthris turned his frown on the Mercenary before walking over to join the group at the table, a map laid on it as always. "Since our victory on Vonnorburd, the men have been restless for another takeover."

"Yes but we mustn't rush headlong into battle like idiots!" Ariella interrupted lightly from across the table with a divisive wave of her index finger. Leo couldn't help but smile in a low chuckle as he nodded in agreement. "We must be sure to win after all." The Alchemist finished in a low smirk of her own.

"Of special note I can tell you that the men's morale has been boosted by your victory, Lord Selthris," Ulric spoke up from across the table, joined by his two juniors. Selthris resisted the urge to roll his eyes at listening to this particular tale again. "And I don't mind admitting I can see why; you have certainly begun to show us the extent of your strength." The Paladin complimented with a light appreciative smile. Selthris smiled back very briefly in obvious politeness but waved the matter off with his left hand, shaking his head as he did so.

"We're serious!" Kay exclaimed next to her superior as she leant forward on the table, causing it to rock lightly. Ariella and Leo let out surprised gasps as they frowned in obvious annoyance at her in response. "You were like the boss! It was amazing!"

Selthris was left voiceless; he merely stared back at the young blonde before finally nodding in conjunction with a low sigh through his nose. Kay blinked at him, unknowing and unsure; she exchanged an unsure expression with the watching and listening George before returning to attention.

"So what's our plans looking like for the next attack?" The High Lord opted to change the subject, placing his hands on the table as he exchanged looks with the listening Ariella and Leo.

"It would seem we are finally closing in," Hawke's voice suddenly slid into the conversation. Selthris shot his silvery haired head up to frown back at her, allowing her to continue from her folded armed position. "It's looking pretty bad for Naerith."

"All true," Ariella agreed with as she grinned lightly in the masked Sniper's direction before re-turning back to face the force's commander. "We are fast approaching their capital; the only two trials left are two fortresses."

"Which are?" Selthris questioned, raising a curious silver eyebrow upward.

"Wolveshire Fortress and Naesbray Castle," Sabine shot in with from the side, leaning his head in a similar direction as he spoke. "Hawke's info, not mine." He credited with a nod in the woman's direction.

"Why do I know those names...?" Selthris murmured to himself in deep thought as he lowered his eyes and his head briefly.

"I imagine Lord Sathryon must have told you of them in our campaign twenty years ago," Ulric opted to reply with in a frown this time, bringing the surprise-faced High Lord out of his thoughts. "He was in a similar predicament with what course of action to take here."

"Wouldn't we just consider how many men they both have?" George asked curiously as he frowned at the group as a whole.

"Soldiers." Kay corrected in a light grin next to her younger brother. George couldn't help not to roll his eyes at her but let it go.

"I think that Wolveshire would have the most men," Edgar finally spoke in with as he stepped into the conversation, his arms folded as ever. "Wolveshire Fortress has been notoriously difficult to defend in the past so I imagine they would want as many me-"

A hard look from the frowning faced blonde Cavalier stopped him in his tracks however. The Axe Fighter frowned back before returning to the conversation at hand.

"As many soldiers," he corrected, eyes temporarily shut as he did so. Kay put on a grin as she listened. "As possible." He finally finished in a light sigh through his own nose. Selthris nodded, taking the information in as he did so.

"What's our best course of action then?" The High Lord asked as he turned to face the similarly frowning Leo and Ariella.

"Well, we could halve our forces and attack both keeps at the same time but...," the Mercenary trailed off before exchanging a similarly shaking head with the listening Ariella. "We'd just be wasting manpower."

"I say we just attack the fortress!" Kay exclaimed in as she put on a boisterous grin. George shut his eyes in response to her sudden interruption, seemingly annoyed. "Throw every weapon we've got at it!"

"Come now sister that's just foolish to even consider-" George sighed in response as he turned to face her; she put on an annoyed frown of her own as she faced him, ready to argue with him.

"Enough!" Ulric's deep voice suddenly cut through the air authoritatively, eliciting a similar wince from the pair; they did as they were ordered.

"Well, anyway...," Leo couldn't help but offer in with a humour filled laugh as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Ariella and I been talkin' and we think that it might be a good idea to send the bulk of our forces to attack Wolveshire and a smaller force out to keep Naesbray busy," the Mercenary quickly explained as he pointed across at the map on the table between the points of interest, as if for emphasis. He re-raised his eyes up to smile at his close companion before finishing. "Just in case they decide to try to pincer attack us."

"A fine plan if I do say so myself, Lord Selthris," Ulric opted in with this time, a light frown adorned on his face. "I don't mind commanding the unit to attack this castle with?" He asked, more of a question than a statement.

"Yeah, what happens if that masked guy's in there?" Gorlin replied with, his arms folded. Ulric turned to his left to stare back at the frowning Nomad Trooper. Selthris' own silver eyes widened in response and they darted between the pair as he listened intently. "They don't call 'im Silvermoon for nothin'; he's killed units entirely by himself."

"Even if I were to die, I would do it for our Lord's house any day," the Paladin bravely stated before turning back to nod at the wide-eyed High Lord in question. "As I'm sure I would have done for Lord Sathryon."

"That's a good point though Gorlin," Leo agreed with the larger man in a nod before turning back to the group. "What do we do if he is there?"

"Well there's nothing we can do, is there?" Ariella shot in with as she also frowned before suddenly turning to the now narrow-eyed Selthris, as if directing her comments toward him. "Not with the vendetta that you clearly have." She claimed as she raised an eyebrow up at him. He grunted as he turned his eyes away from her briefly, as if in thought to himself. He stared down at the table for a second or two before finally shooting his head back up.

"I guarantee you, you will not be able to kill him," Selthris explained briefly as he stared at the surprised-faced Ulric. "This is a man that killed my father; for all intents and purposes he is the Dracolius' greatest warrior."

"Surely he's not that strong, is he?" Norman asked from his employer's side, his own arms similarly folded.

"I'd say he's right," Hawke opted to agree with as she raised her masked face to meet with the group's gaze. "He's certainly not been active very long... but Silvermoon's reputation precedes him," she claimed before continuing on. "It's not an exaggeration to say there's hundreds of stories about his prowess as far as Etherthien."

Fucking bastard, Selthris thought to himself as he scowled in remembrance of his masked nemesis.

"Perhaps Lord Selthris should join our force then?" Ulric requested lightly as he turned his frown on the watching Leo and Ariella. Selthris' eyes lit up in excitement as he listened.

"No, we need him commanding the bulk of our forces; the men need his presence on the field to bolster our morale for Wolveshire." Ariella denied with a shake of her head, joining her robed hands together.

"I agree," Leo nodded in concurrence with his similarly intelligent ally. "Besides, all we're doing here is speculating, right? I mean, Gorlin could be right but the Masked Man might also be in Wolveshire."

Selthris' eyebrows rose up in sudden thought as he listened intently.

"Either way it's a fifty-fifty shot," Gorlin nodded with the Mercenary in a firm frown. "You think you're ready?" The Nomad Trooper called over, eliciting the High Lord's attention.

"My blade-work's a lot better but...," Selthris began as he raised up his left gloved fist. He glared down at it and scowled in light anger, shaking his head in defeat. "No; I need one more night to work on this form of mine."

"Form?" Leo questioned curiously as he turned to face the High Lord. Selthris shot his silver eyes to frown back at him. "Would this have anything to do with that weird visit to that tomb?"

"Y-Yes," Selthris murmured lowly as he turned his eyes away from his closest friend, eliciting the rest of the group's attention. "I think I've found a way to... channel my father's Aegir."

"Ah, I remember," Ariella smiled lightly in remembrance, nodding as she did so. "So! You hope to utilise this against him?"

"It's the only way feasible to beat him," Selthris hissed back as he turned his silver-eyed glare on her, unintentionally hostile. "It's a one-shot deal but it's a once in a life-time power; it's not just mine's and my father's."

"For what it's worth, I don't think you'll fail," Hawke opted to call in with lightly, surprising the youth and many members of the group. They all looked up to find her, folded armed and seemingly frowning beneath her mask. "I've fought with him a little." She explained briefly, eliciting further shock from the group. A very brief period of silence descended upon the group, as if to emphasise their surprise.

"You're lucky to be alive," Gorlin replied back with as he raised a big eyebrow at her, curious in his own way. "No other man's escaped him alive apparently."

"What do you mean about that?" Selthris questioned suddenly as he turned his firm frown on the woman ahead of him. A tense silence descended down upon the soldiers as they listened and waited for her response.

"You're the only one who can beat him," the Sniper finally answered with, drawing curious puzzlement from the boy. "Now that I've met you both... I know," she claimed in her brief explanation. "You've got something that he doesn't."

"Hmph...," the High Lord murmured back as he turned the left side of his mouth up in a scowl, as if thinking of his mortal enemy. "Why don't I find that thought more comforting?"

Leo couldn't help but let out a low smile in conjunction with a light chuckle. Ariella joined him in a low smirk of her own, easily triggering the rest of the usually sombre soldiers in the tent to begin laughing alongside them. Selthris blinked at the group, unsure and quizzical at their mood. Finally however he decided instead to shake his head with a tiny smile attached to his face as Leo turned his own smile back onto him.

Just like old times, he thought.

–-

3

Selthris' right arm, his sword utensil, twitched hungrily as he marched at the front alongside the Aselian-Etherthien regiment behind him. His silver eyes stayed marked on the relatively small fort about half a mile from where he stood; situated to the top left of his position.

The Masked Man could be in that fort.

Every nerve in his body tensed at the mere thought.

"Sel."

His eyes blinked in surprise and he snapped them 'round to find his frowning companion Leo at his right side, as always. He nodded in knowing before stopping his march to face the men and women behind him.

"All right, all units, halt!" The High Lord called out as he turned to confront the obedient soldiers he commanded. The scowl on his face remained as constant as whenever he thought of his mortal enemy; a mere after-thought in terms of behaviour. "The field is a little narrower than last time but I imagine a similar strategy should be fine; Hawke I want you up front with me again," he began once more as he turned briefly to nod over at the masked Sniper. She merely nodded back in response. "With Ulric, Kay and George kept busy with their own force at Naesbray, we have to be more careful," the High Lord warned as he turned his hard-eyed glare on each nameless soldier behind the named ones. "Do not open up your defences and stay close together."

The nameless Etherthien soldiers let out a morale filled cry in a show of their belief and self-confidence.

"Gorlin; I want your unit to help defend the men," Selthris began once more as he turned to face the grinning, folded armed Nomad Trooper. Clearly referencing the frowning Edgar, Sabine and Gerard, he nodded in exuberance. "Do what you all do best." He ordered, eliciting a grinning salute from the Coremondian swordsman.

"I imagine we are to remain in the reserve unit?"

Selthris turned once more to find the smirking Ariella, robed hands joined together; an old habit. Joined with her was the hard-frowning and folded armed Norman, as scruffy as ever. The Aselian swordsman nodded back in response, recognising their earlier discussions.

"Yeah; I'll need you to tend to any issues we might encounter," he claimed, eliciting a shaking headed chuckle from the old woman. "I'll be fine," he amended, this time with a lightly annoyed frown adorned on his face. She nodded back at him, her smirk still on her face. He frowned back at her before finally nodding and turning his eyes back on Wolveshire Fortress before him. His eyes narrowed at the three men stationed at the top above their main unit, seemingly one of them the commander. "Okay...," he began again as he unsheathed his familiar weapon, twirling it around in the bright winter sky before finally pointing at them. "All available units attack!"

"Is that him?" General Cain exclaimed above the growing din of the fast approaching sky-blue and dark-purple shaded soldiers ahead of their position.

"Yes, my lord!" The nameless soldier on his right exclaimed as he caught him leaving the fortress, opting not to take his eyes off of the approaching forces. "I imagine once we see some lightning we'll know for sure!"

Cain's hard scowl twitched as he listened; he hated it but he knew the man was right. The only remaining clan known in existence to ever have an Aegir affinity of lightning was, indeed, the Vikeruce clan.

Look for the lightning, he thought to himself.

With a growing low scowl he opted to stomp forward, surprising the pair of soldiers on his right and left.

"G-General, what are you-?"

"Only one man shall live here today," the General spoke cryptically as he stopped marching temporarily to gaze angrily at the clashing of their forces. "I shall beat you through your own son," he continued, his sleety scowl switching to a smirk. "Dog of a clan." He merely muttered seemingly magnanimously. He turned to glare down at the wincing soldiers on his shoulder sides before merely grunting as he marched further forward to join the frontlines.

–-

4

Selthris offered his shoulders for his grinning companion Leo to leap off of; following his beginning assault, the Mercenary channelled his Wind elemental Aegir to his steel sword before pulling it back and widening his eyes as he did so.

"Aegir Art; Vortex Hurricane!"

With that final shout, the young Mercenary dove his razor wind covered body and his weapon directly into the roaring army of soldiers, easily cutting through their defences. Selthris followed up his companion's attack with a technique of his own; channelling his own Lightning elemental Aegir to his sword and his body similarly, he spun his weapon around with his right hand before widening his silver eyes, as if finished charging.

The High Lord merely let out a single grunt before suddenly darting forward, his body and his form a mere blur to the common eye. Seemingly halting the approaching further Naerithian soldiers and cleaning up whatever Leo missed, Selthris re-appeared on the other side, unharmed. He stood with a hardened scowl, left fist contorted at his left side and his sword held animated in the air horizontally next to him; time seemed to stop completely for the poor soldiers behind him, as if attempting to catch up with the speedy swordsman.

Finally, they all let out a pained cry, echoed by the large number of assailants sent back from their attack. They were all struck painfully by an untold amount of sword strikes and slashes, all imbued with electricity, eliciting grunts and yelps alongside with the many attacks he had provided. Remaining motionless in his attack, as Leo finally landed back to the snowy ground next to his close companion, Selthris finally regained movement and twirled his sword around as he exchanged a contrastingly scowling back-fisted high-five with the grinning Mercenary behind him.

Almost as if to interrupt and even insult the teamed pair however, the snowy ground beneath them began to shift in obscurity and Selthris' eyes snapped down at it. Leo, quicker minded, leapt to his left in evasion; Selthris grunted as he side-flipped to his right in similar evasion after his companion, skidding across the rough snow. As they had feared, the white ground opened up to smash against one another inorganically.

Clearly an opponent's use of Earth Style Aegir.

Selthris snapped his scowling face behind him to spot the smirking ebony and crimson armoured man himself. His silvery eyes widened as he recognised the dark-brown moustache and goatee attached to him; the man his father had beaten mere months ago, perhaps even near a year past.

General Cain.

"So...," the named General began in a low rumble, similar to his elemental Quintessence. His arms folded as he turned his superior smirk up at the scowling Selthris. "You are the only son left of that dog."

Selthris remained silent as he watched him carefully for weaknesses.

Besides his obvious arrogance there wasn't much else.

Perhaps his careless form?

Could be an invitation to disaster however.

Must stay wary.

"What's this?" The General began as he raised a curious brown eyebrow upwards, taking a few steps forward, the snow crunching beneath his boots. "No pithy comeback... no... chitchat?" He offered over lightly, his voice still carried over in spite of the roaring soldiers around them. Selthris felt Leo approach slowly behind him and opted to remain silent. "That's the problem with you Aselians; you have no sense of sociality."

Selthris raised his body to stand up straight, his scowl still as ever prevalent on his expression. Leo leant his frowning face and his body to the side as he stared back at his new opponent silently. Cain couldn't seemingly help but chuckle and shake his head in his folded armed sneer.

"Come now at least say something," Cain laughed over as he turned his low sneer downward to watch the scowling Selthris. "It has been months since I last saw you suckled at the teat of your idiot father!" The General called over insultingly, a smirk to match his childish call. Again, Selthris opted to remain silent however and Cain re-raised his head to frown at him disappointedly. "Hmph... I was thinking of giving you information on your father's killer but...," the older man began, drawing a shocked and wide eyed frown from the youth in response. Cain shrugged melodramatically as he put on a smirk, eyes shutting as he did so. "If this is my reception then..."

"You know where the Masked Man is?" Selthris called over, his words carried by the harsh cold of Naerith's air. General Cain re-opened his right eye to stare back at the High Lord for a second or two before finally re-opening his left alongside his other.

"Of course I do," the man chuckled knowingly as he lowered his head to stare back at the scowling swordsman. "I'm the sub-commander of his unit."

"Don't," Leo whispered at his side. Selthris' left eye twitched in response to the older youth's words next to him. "He's just trying to pull you in."

"He's very interested to know of your progress... oh Selthris of Aselia," Cain couldn't help but laugh as he narrowed his eyes down at the scowling High Lord. However, his smirk swiftly swivelled to a switching scowl of his own, shooting his head back up superiorly at the boy. "Personally I find him as suspicious as I do you."

As if his words carried some form of effect, a strange kind of silence descended upon the listening three, the only noise to erupt between them the loud cries of battle. Finally however, a noise managed to interrupt the trio; a strange kind of whistle. Selthris' silvery eyes shot around to his sides for the source but he couldn't seem to find it. It was only when he felt Leo's presence stiffen behind him that he widened his own eyes and shot them upward.

A sailing Dragon Knight plummeted down towards their position and Selthris' eyes remained widened in a state of shock. Luckily however, his close companion grunted as he stepped in between them and shot his steel sword up to block his opponent's Poleaxe. Selthris' right eye twitched lightly and he even leant his body to the right from the sheer force the seemingly nameless Dragon Knight commanded above him.

Selthris' eyes quickly scanned the hard-scowling faced Dragon Knight and found him fairly peculiar for a Naerith soldier. His hair, short and blonde did little to frame the rest of his face which was covered in scars; the mark of a true warrior. The Poleaxe he wore effectively gave him advantage over every other mounted unit on the ground below him; truly a fearsome opponent to any Cavalier or Paladin.

He looked fairly important, Selthris thought.

Maybe one of the Renegade Saints?

As if to answer his close companion's silent thoughts, Leo let out another grunt as he used the Wind Style Aegir at his command to give further strength to his pushing slash; the nameless Dragon Knight pushed his own weapon against his opponent's in an attempt to recover. The mounted man flew his Dragon in a swift but far back-flip, landing it gradually but closer to the folded armed and scowling Cain.

"Hmph," the General muttered lowly as he looked the Dragon Knight up and down, as if disgusted somehow. "Raymond." He spoke, as if the very name gave him discomfort. Selthris and Leo couldn't help but exchange surprised and furrowed brows of confusion before turning back to listen.

"Commander," the named Dragon Knight gasped out as he turned his head on his mount, a similarly firm frown attached to his face. "You can't fight them both alone!"

"Yes I can you young upstart!" Cain's voice suddenly knifed through the burning weather, turning his angry scowl on the younger warrior. "I don't need help from a Sohanthian traitor." The General shot back in a further assault of insults, eliciting an annoyed frown from the listening Dragon Knight.

"At least let me separate them for you!" The younger man exclaimed above the din of combat. Cain's eyes narrowed down at him but he stayed silent, opting to allow him to continue. "You want... him, right?" Raymond murmured lowly this time as he turned his eyes and his head very briefly to nod upwards at the watching and scowling silver-haired Selthris. Cain traced his words with his own hard gaze before putting on a chuckle and a knowing smirk. "Let me deal with the other one!" He hissed this time, watching his commander faithfully.

"Fine." The General uttered but not without the superior smirk he always wore. His arms stayed folded as he watched his pair of opponents ahead of him and a strange sense of silence descended upon the four; the calm before the storm. Finally breaking it however, Cain's sneering expression never left him as he nodded his head upwards, triggering the firm-faced Raymond to take off atop his Dragon. Leo's brown chestnut eyes shot upwards in a hard frown of his own before back-flipping athletically backwards, allowing his companion room to breathe.

Only the scowling Selthris was left to confront the contradictory Cain; they stood in similar glares, Selthris' firm glower and Cain's low but strong sneer.

"You know...," the General began lowly, the frigid weather carrying weight to his words. Selthris tensed up as he saw him reach behind him, pulling out a silver lance. "The only man to truly match me was your father," he explained briefly in his smirk, watching the silent Selthris as he did so. "If you wish to hope to live here, today...," the man began once again as he raised up his silver lance effortlessly with a twist and turn of his left hand, twirling the blade above his crown before shooting it straight back down to point at his opponent. "Then you will show me his strength."

~

As he had half-expected, Selthris leapt to his right in a deft side-flip to avoid the snowy ground from below him swallowing him whole. His eyes quickly narrowed at it, quickly deducing a use of Earth Style Aegir, just as before.

His affinity's weakness.

This would be extremely difficult.

Snapping his silver-eyed glare back on his smirking opponent to his right, he shot off like a bullet as soon as a toe touched the ground. Instead of attempting an obviously expected direct strike, Selthris used his seemingly superior speed to phase through the narrow-eyed General; the after-image technique. Re-appearing in front of the larger, older man once more, Selthris let out a single grunt as he sent his forward into one of the General's unprotected sides.

Unfortunately for him, however, Cain saw it coming.

The moustached man chuckled lowly as he shot his silver lance to block the youth's sword, beginning a weapon struggle between the pair. Selthris shot his surprised, silver-eyed stare up at the hardened warrior above him in a shocked gaze. Cain stared back down at him; a hungry and almost demonic smirk to his expression.

"Impressive!" The short-haired General exclaimed suddenly before slamming his free left fist into the grunting boy's face. Seemingly imbued with earthen Quintessence, Selthris was sent careering back the way he came. Widening his silver eyes however he used his own Aegir to back-flip in mid-air, landing in a rough riding skid. The white fluff beneath his boots melted profusely as he did so; a horrible bleeding scowl on his lips. Utilising his speed once more, the youth leapt to his right, disappearing from common view.

General Cain was left with a hungry lick of his lips, putting on a low chuckling smirk as he watched the boy seemingly vanish. Seemingly following him regardless of his eyes however, he shot his silver lance up behind him to block the grit toothed Selthris' slash behind him, a superior smirk upon his face. Selthris dissipated once more to attack the armoured warrior on his seemingly undefended sides; Cain easily blocked the young boy's attempts. Selthris cursed his efforts as he watched his sneering faced opponent block his super-fast strikes and slashes from above, the sides, behind and even below in some cases.

Finally however, it would appear Cain had had enough; the older fighter dropped his smirk in place of an effort-filled frown before grunting once as he slammed the ground with his armoured boot. The ground shook so fiercely that even the surrounding soldiers far from their position began to lose their footing; the effect was true. Selthris gasped as he tripped up, finally reappearing next to the well-defended General, his own defences finally opened up once more. Cain's superior smirk returned to him and he let loose a laughing tirade of slower slams with his silver lance.

Selthris grunted painfully from each attack, easily drawing blood with each slash. Finally however, Cain finished his counter-attack with another laughing roundhouse kick energised with his Earth Style Quintessence. Selthris let loose an agony filled cry of pain as he was sent rolling across the air, skidding into the snow like a rag doll.

"Boss!"

Gorlin's voice caused him to widen his silver eyes and he growled angrily as he used his left hand to successfully cartwheel his body in a side-flipping recovery. As he landed he gasped continually from the effort he had exuded in merely staying alive from the General's assault. He spat out a growing trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth as he exchanged his low glower with the high sneer his opponent carried so well.

The interruption that quite possibly saved his life however ran in from the side; the narrow-eyed Gorlin, free from his own unit. Selthris turned to frown over at the larger man on his left.

"Need some help?" The Nomad Trooper questioned as he twirled the two swords he usually dual wielded, directing his own glare toward the enemy commander.

"No!" The Aselian commander suddenly exclaimed back over in a wide-eyed scowl. Gorlin's own eyes similarly widened, yet in a surprised frown instead as he turned them on the growling youth. "No," he repeated, this time slimming his eyes into a hard-edged glare, turning them back on the smirking General before him. "There's... one thing I have left."

"Which is?"

"Oh now I'm curious," Cain laughed over loudly enough for the pair to hear. He tilted his short-haired head to the side as he shot up an eyebrow to match his mirthfulness. "What else could the Vikeruce rat be hiding?"

"You can't be serious!" Gorlin hissed over as he turned his own scowl on his commander. "I saw all that! If you get hit like that again, you die! And if you die, we lose!"

Unwilling to listen, Selthris merely shut his battered eyes in his low glower, his brow furrowing with seeming effort. Gorlin gasped as he watched, unsure; similarly curious, Cain tilted his head as he watched. Lightly placing his open palms together in a seeming show of praying, Selthris' lay down in a crossed leg state. In spite of the loud cacophony of noise surrounding them, he was seemingly either meditating or praying for something.

"He's not serious." Cain repeated for the narrow-eyed Coremondian on his opposite side, chuckling as he placed his silver lance back behind him in its sheath, folding his arms.

"Boss..." Gorlin muttered as he took a step forward, the snow crunching beneath his white furred boot. Almost as if reacting to his presence however, Selthris' eyes shot wide open and an intense aura of electric Aegir shook the ground roughly beneath them, causing the wincing Coremondian to step back from his earlier advance.

–-

5

Cain lost his grin in favour of a curious, brow-furrowed stare. The boy's eyes had definitely changed; spiritually and physically. Instead of the usual dull silver he sported, they were tinged with a gloomy black colour. Around his eyes and eyelids was the similarly dull silver colour he came to expect from the boy and, yet, it was seemingly used as an eye-shadow of all things. The General watched him quizzically, quickly attempting to work out the strange physical change to his appearance.

"You rat...," the short-haired General called over lowly before narrowing his eyes and glaring in a similarly flat grimace. "You can't fool me! I am-"

SMASH

Cain's eyes shot wide open; he could barely let out even a grunt as a blinding pain suddenly shot through his entire body, situated near his low stomach. The older man's eyes gradually hovered downwards to find the similarly scowling Selthris standing, staring straight through him.

"W-W-W-Wh-" The older warrior managed to gasp out, his vision blurring alongside his shaking body. His eyes further lowered to find the boy's hard muscled fist sent pierced through his reliable armour.

How did he-?

When did he...?

As if to answer his inner questions, the bloody faced Selthris merely grunted as he pulled his crimson soaked fist from the man's pierced stomach before swiftly roundhouse kicking him across the face, an intense electricity surrounding him. Cain could only gasp as the boy's sudden and mystified sense of power sent him careering across the battlefield.

Re-appearing behind his sailing form, General Cain's eyes widened and he growled as he used his right free arm to channel his Earth Style Aegir. Manipulating the ground to rise up below him he used it as a way to slow his fall, skidding painfully across as he did so. With a single shut-eyed grunt, the General used his right arm to cartwheel similarly to recover so that he faced his inevitable attacker behind him. The pair stared at one another for what felt like minutes, even hours in spite of it being a mere couple of milliseconds; Cain's bloodied gaze met with Selthris' new silvery shadowed black eyes glowered back at him as he spun his right gloved fist, presumably for a follow up attack.

Attempting to intercept him, Cain let out a low but growing yell as he covered his right fist in Earth Style Quintessence, fast approaching the youth. Finally however, they clashed; Cain roared as loud as his lungs would allow as he crashed his rock clenched arm with Selthris' own lightning infused one.

CRASH

The ground shook terribly; even worse than when Cain had stomped the ground roughly. Every soldier even a half a mile away from their position exclaimed in shock and awe; forcing their attention to turn to the fated encounter. The pair were locked in a similarly hard-eyed gaze, Selthris' black lightning Aegir aura mashing with Cain's brown, neither willing to let the other win out in their struggle. While Cain continued to roar in his bear-like angry state, Selthris' silent scowl contrasted well with his loud and verbose opponent. Finally however, after what seemed like hours to the pair, Selthris allowed his mouth to open in a low roar of his own; a clear indication of increase in power. Cain's eyes widened even further, if that were possible, and in his levitating state was forced to lean back the way he came, fist first as his brown Aegir was slowly being chipped away at by his opponent's lightning.

As Selthris' own yell grew in volume so did the strength with which he used to attack with; Cain shook in fast growing fear, his eyes shooting between the dark eyes of his opponent and the crackling fist he carried, seemingly out of answers.

"N-No!" He called out. His voice, like his Aegir, was being slowly drowned out. Selthris' own deep and guttural roar finally reached a zenith and, as it did, Cain's eyes widened once more, his defences finally caving. "NOOOOO!"

BOOM

Along with the wincing sound of destruction came the pained grunt Cain exclaimed with as his eyes shut. He staggered back, seemingly merely sent a few steps backward from the impact of the boy's strike. Even as he dropped to his rear he gasped as he turned his bloodied face upward, an eerie silence descending upon the battlefield. Except for the sound of Selthris' black lightning ahead of him, there was nothing to fill the air with.

"Why doesn't this-?" Cain murmured lowly, unable to add the situation up before he double took at his attacking arm; his right arm.

Nothing was in its place.

Cain's eyes widened and not even a shocked gasp could leave him; he watched with an intense growing horror at where his arm used to be, now merely a stump of blood. The once pristine white snow beneath him was now covered in the boiling crimson of his life-juices. His voice finally returned to him, Cain's free left arm shot over to his stump on his right before turning his eyes and head skyward and screaming in terror and shock.

Though his blood curdling call managed to cut through the air with a knife-wrenching interruption, the Aselian and Etherthien soldiers let loose an echoing war cry, their morale sky-rocketing from witnessing the enemy commander's defeat. Major Raymond and his dragon mount dropped to the ground in mid-attack with the similarly surprised Leo; they both turned to watch the scene as disbelievingly as the rest of the higher members of the army.

As Selthris' ebony electricity artificially crackled around him and his visible aura, pulling the watching soldiers' attention, he gradually pulled himself up to a standing position, lowering his left fist as he did so. By now Cain's terror-filled cry had dissipated and, as his scowling opponent took his first steps toward his defeated position, the once proud General gasped continually and breathed heavily as he pushed himself back with his only remaining left hand. The snow beneath him crunched almost as heavily as his breathing as he retreated, broken, beaten and bloodied. As he approached, the transformed High Lord re-raised up his left fist, caked with blackening Aegir and lightning, presumably to finish him off with.

"Commander!"

Selthris' raven-like eyes snapped to his right to find the Dragon Knight in question sailing toward them, Poleaxe twirling in hand. Merely expelling a force of his new-found aura of Quintessence, Selthris easily batted the yelling Dragon Knight, sailing to back whence he came. Cain watched his junior officer fly back through the air, clearly scorched by the High Lord's ebony lightning before snapping his eyes back to gaze at him. This time, instead of a flaunting feel to his mood, Cain's body was entirely drenched in fear as his younger opponent glared down at him.

Almost as if returning from the grave to haunt him however, the left lightning fisted Selthris slowly began to morph into the low scowling form of Sathryon Vikeruce, standing over him threateningly. Cain's eyes twitched madly as he watched him, his only remaining left fingers digging like knives into his skin, drawing blood from the intense dread he felt.

Without uttering a single word however, Selthris let out a single grunt as he sent his left fist plunging down into the gasping Cain's open and already bleeding chest. Even in spite of the affinity weakness, the poor General's body was filled with an unnatural black lightning, scorching the already blackened and crimson armour he wore, as well as his skin. The General could only let out a single, rasping gasp as he used his last free arm to grasp at the boy's silver tabard roughly before, finally, twitching once and dropping. His eyes similarly rolled to the back of his head and he dropped to the ground with a final grunt of blinding pain. The boy's Aegir shroud had managed to melt the snow beneath them, allowing the poor deceased General to drop his head and his broken body to the field beneath him.

As if reacting to the man's defeat, the Aselian and Etherthien soldiers let out another morale filled war cry for their commander's, and force's, victory. Selthris pulled his own battered body back up from his position, still scowling before shutting his eyes temporarily. Responding to his Quintessence control, his black lightning shroud dissipated along with the silver draught around his eyes. The similar silvery colour returned to his once ebony pupils as well as he snapped them back up to face the gob-smacked Gorlin with. The pair stared at one another wordlessly, Gorlin seemingly unable to form a sentence in response to what he witnessed and so, Selthris did for him. With a light grin on the corner of his mouth Selthris opened his mouth.

"I told you I'd be fine." The High Lord claimed, a joking smirk across his expression and even his words. The soldiers behind the wide-eyed Nomad Trooper let loose another roar of morale for their commander. Finally shaking his shock off his expression, Gorlin couldn't help but laugh in response to the youth, shaking his head at him.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Battle at Naesbray Castle; One Final Push!  
Et Excrementum Geminos Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.

Featured Music: "Urgency Drives Us" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Fate of the Nation (Sacred Ground ~ Dynasty Warriors 2)" - Dynasty Warriors Online OST. Scene 4 (First Half).  
"The Phantom Pain" - Metal Gear Solid V OST. Scene 5 (Second Half).

\--

In the wake of the Battle at Wolveshire Fortress, commanding officer Selthris Vikeruce has managed to turn the odds in the alliance's favour once more with a deciding victory against his long deceased father's old rival, General Cain. In spite of his young age, Selthris has finally begun to turn not just his allies' heads but his enemy's as well. Seemingly utilising a strange new transformation of power, Selthris easily overpowers the battle experienced Cain even in spite of his Aegir affinity's weakness.

As a result, the Aselian and Etherthien alliance's forces' morale heightens to a sky-rocketing level; some in the army even discuss his resemblance to his recently deceased father, known in his era to be the greatest living soldier in the world.

Sathryon Vikeruce.

For the Naerith force however their growing fear of the enemy commander have labelled him a demon and even the civilian populace quickly begin to dread his inevitable and vengeful attack. As their morale is further squashed down with the rest of their fallen military, the country begin to turn to their only remaining hope left, the Renegade Saints and perhaps the only one left to oppose Selthris' frighteningly-fast rising power.

The Masked Man.

All eyes are now drawn to this final and fated confrontation between two mutually despised enemies. The fate, not just of Aselia and perhaps even of Etherthien but especially Naerith, shall be decided in this ultimate conflict.

The end of the war is finally in sight.

\--

Scene 1

Selthris' eyes were shut as he laid down in the middle of the field, all on his lonesome. Just as on the battle at Wolveshire Fortress, his two hands were clasped together in a praying gesture as if meditating.

"Sel?"

His eyes shot open and he snapped his silvery head behind him. The hard-frowning Leo stood behind him, leant to the side as he watched him in curiosity. Selthris allowed his tenseness to subside and he merely replied back to his close companion with a low sigh through his nose as he turned his head back to his front, scowling forward.

"Leo," he greeted simply as he stuck his scowl ahead of himself. He opted to lower his arms from his meditative gesture, turning his head again to face the approaching Mercenary. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just...," the older youth chuckled lowly as he walked forward, landing next to his friend. He turned a sociable smile on the hard-scowling youth. "Wanted to check up on you," he chortled lowly again as he shook his head at the young boy. Selthris merely shut his eyes very briefly and tilted his head in an acknowledging nod as he listened, turning back to face the field before him. "I wanted to ask, um..." He began again this time however with a light frown as he lowered his eyes. Selthris' attention was pulled once more and the High Lord turned again to face him.

"Yeah?"

"Everyone's very, very curious," the young Mercenary admitted in an initial chuckle, rubbing the back of his head before turning his eyes up to face his best friend. "How did you generate that much power yesterday?"

Selthris raised a curious silvery eyebrow upwards as he responded. "You mean when I killed the enemy commander?"

Leo nodded, a suspicious look growing in his eyes as he watched him.

It was not lost on the listening High Lord.

"Do you... remember our visit to Archmouth Caves?" Selthris began lowly, eliciting a light and slow nod from the similarly listening Mercenary. "When I fought with Cain, I-"

"You didn't?" Leo hissed lowly as he turned his head lightly at the youth disapprovingly. Selthris turned back to face him, tired expression and all. "You used it already?"

"No," the High Lord denied simply with a decisive frown and shake of his head. "That Aegir I used was my own."

Leo blinked, unsure. "W-What do you mean? That black lightning? That was yours?"

Selthris merely nodded in his hard-frowning stare. Leo blinked once more, as if unable to believe the words he was responded with.

"How?!" He finally exclaimed out, shocked.

"All I did yesterday was test the effects of my new form," Selthris explained briefly in his tired frown. "I just didn't access the Quintessence that I gained from that tomb when I did it."

Leo's eyebrows rose up to his forehead and his eyes widened to match his show of shock and surprise.

"You generated... all that power... on your own?"

Selthris looked lightly annoyed as he briefly turned away from the Mercenary, sighing as he nodded.

"That's incredible!" The Mercenary hissed out in further shock. "So, wait, then- that means...?"

Selthris turned back to face him, raising a silver eyebrow upward in curiosity.

"How strong will you be if you...?" He trailed off as he watched the younger warrior with widened eyes, his voice lowered now, as if their information was top secret.

"Much, much stronger," Selthris sighed again as he nodded for the umpteenth time. "I'm going to need it."

"I dunno Sel; you run riot over that general yesterday," Leo laughed in a growing grin as he spoke. Selthris put on a forced smile of his own in response. "You may not even need it!" He reasoned with.

Selthris shook his head this time however, regaining his unsure frown. "The Masked Man's power is beyond anything even my father could handle," he answered simply. "I'm going to need it and more." He finished, his tone final and confident as he stared forward at the field before him. Leo watched him, eyebrows risen upward in honest surprise.

The Mercenary opted to lower his eyes this time however in quiet defeat, nodding in agreement with the youth.

"Is that what you needed to know? Information on this new form of mine?" The Vikeruce heir questioned lightly as he turned to face his close friend in curiosity. Leo couldn't help but chuckle good naturedly in response.

"You call it a 'form', huh?" Leo laughed gently; his words made him quickly think to himself. Sure enough, he remembered his physical characteristics changing with his black Aegir shroud. "It got a name?"

It was Selthris' turn to blink back however and he turned back in presumable thought.

"No...," he finally answered, shaking his head as he did so. "Although..." He trailed off flatly as he narrowed his eyes forward in a thoughtful frown.

"Although...?" Leo parroted as he shot another eyebrow up in interest.

"I remember father once... mentioning something akin to this in the past," the youth claimed, unsure as he raised his left finger and thumb to encircle his chin thoughtfully. His right hand lay on his crossed legs. "I remember watching him-"

Leo's eyes widened when he turned to face the younger youth before clicking his fingers in acknowledgement. Selthris turned his eyes over in shock, half surprised to be interrupted and half curious.

"Yeah! He did that form change thing too! I remember!" The Wind affinity swordsman exclaimed in recognition before scratching his head in thought. "It was in the coliseum wasn't it?"

"Yeah, at least ten, maybe twelve years ago," Selthris answered in agreeing rebuttal, nodding as he always did. "I remember asking about it and..."

"Yeah?"

"The only name he gave it was our name," the High Lord admitted in memory as he turned his eyes back on the narrow-eyed Mercenary. "The 'Vikeruce Monarch' form."

"Hell of a name," Leo chuckled humour-fully in response. "So, this thing, this form it... it's gotta make you stronger."

"Yeah, it does," the High Lord replied once more in a simple nod. "I'm not sure on the specifics but I noticed my innate strength and speed were both magnified, maybe by a triple or a quad times."

"Good god," Leo whispered, eyes widening once more in shock. "What about other powers?"

"I noticed my eyesight improved a lot," he claimed further in remembrance. "I didn't even need to see things; I could feel them and react."

"Feel them?"

"Yeah; vibrations in the air and things like that."

"That's amazing," Leo gasped in further astonishment. "No wonder Raymond couldn't ambush you." He laughed out, this time in a well-natured grin.

"I think my defence was strengthened as well," Selthris explained briefly as he narrowed his eyes down at the ground in presumable thought. "Otherwise Cain would have killed me I reckon."

"You think?" Leo laughed out, drawing a small smile from his listening companion. "What do you mean, you 'think?'" He grinned further. "It's your form!"

"Well that's exactly what I mean," Selthris frowned back out in a well-meaning tone, sighing lightly through his nose as he did so. "It was largely untested before yesterday."

"Good test, Narga." Leo breathed out, surprised yet again. Selthris couldn't help but grow a small grin on his face.

"You know Ulric will kill you if he hears you take Narga's name in vain." The younger swordsman shot over in an unusual mischievous grin.

"Well I'll just have to make sure he won't hear it then," Leo retorted nostalgically. The pair grinned at one another before simultaneously laughing; Leo's boisterous one and Selthris' low and light one. "That's good; you're lightening up finally, just like old times," the Mercenary added in an approving wink and nod. "We were all worryin' about ya for a while there."

"I know," Selthris responded as he lowered his eyes away from the youth, losing his grin in favour of an apologetic frown. "I'm sorry I've been so distant."

"It's cool," Leo smiled good naturedly as he always did before leaning himself back to stare up at the starry sky above. "Most of us get it; you gotta be strong to beat this masked guy."

Selthris merely nodded, a sad and tired frown adorned to his expression as he stared down at the grassy knoll beneath him.

"Although, I will say," the Mercenary began again, dropping his sociable smile in place of a business-like frown. He turned down to face the youth as he did so. "Tina took what you said pretty hard," he admitted, drawing a light wince from the listening High Lord. "She's been feeling better for a little while but... she hasn't left her tent since you went in." He explained briefly as he frowned over at the cringing youth.

"I'm... sorry to hear that," he claimed as he kept his gaze downward, avoiding eye contact. "I'll have to apologise to her."

"Yeah," Leo agreed in a wan smile this time before turning his own stare skyward. "A Pegasus Knight from Etherthien... hey, you could do a lot worse," the Mercenary added, this time mischievously earning a surprised eyebrow raise from his companion. Selthris even turned to face him, frowning. Leo allowed his light smile to brighten to a full-on grin as he continued. "She was really taken with you, after that battle."

Selthris remembered the one he was talking about.

The Battle at Vonnorburd Field.

Ballista galore, he thought in an annoyed twitch.

If she wasn't overly presumptuous for attempting to help them on that particular field then he was downright foolish for even considering agreeing.

"Mm," Selthris agreed in a low hum as he turned his eyes back downward. "I got that impression."

A corner of Leo's good natured smile turned to a frown as he replied. "You didn't... mean what you said to her, did you?" He asked, eliciting a narrow-eyed, furrowed brow from the younger boy. "You know, about being a bad person?"

Selthris took his sweet time in responding, as if worried somehow but finally, he did.

"Yes," he finally answered lowly before opting to raise his head again to face him in confidence. "Everything I've seen of my family has one thing in common with it," the Vikeruce heir began tenuously. "Not one of them were good people."

"Not... one?" Leo parroted gently, his eyes growing soft in their concern as he listened. "But, Sel you're not a bad-"

"Yes I am," Selthris interrupted piercingly yet calmly. Leo's eyes widened in further shock. "I made that decision... when I took the Sorcerer's power." He explained briefly before turning his eyes back forward.

"But... why?" The Mercenary hissed out, his tone an annoyed one. "I've known you most of my life Sel; you're not a bad person."

"If I was more like my mother than my father then... maybe you'd be right but...," he replied unwaveringly as he shook his head. "Think about it this way," the High Lord began again, his hard frown matching his tired-eyed expression, this time turning to face the surprised Mercenary. "This campaign..."

Leo's left eyebrow raised curiously. "What about it?"

"The only people in it that I even care about... boils down to just one person," he admitted honestly as he used his left index finger to raise upwards, as if for emphasis before suddenly pointing it in the shocked boy's direction. "And that's you."

"Come on, that's-" Leo laughed aloud, surprised yet smiling in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. "You're not making sense."

"I can't be like you, Leo," Selthris admitted again as he shook his head, turning his eyes forward once more. "Caring about everyone, putting everything on the line to defend them," he explained briefly before gritting his teeth and shaking his head again. "I just can't see why they'd deserve it."

Leo opted just to listen this time, a lightly concerned look in his eye as he did so.

"I didn't mean anything deep when I said that to her Leo," Selthris claimed as he turned his eyes downward, however briefly before abruptly turning them back up to face the Mercenary. "I'm just a shallow person I suppose," he added, this time with a mirthless low smile attached to his words. Leo stared back at him, unable to find words to respond with. Selthris' smile persisted even as he lowered his own gaze below him. "If being a bad person means I can murder the Masked Man at his own game... then I'd do it again in a heartbeat." The youth finished, re-raising his eyes forward to stare ahead of himself.

It was Leo's turn to look downward this time and he put on a sad frown as he did so, sighing very quietly to himself.

"It's fine, Leo; there's no need to worry," Selthris reassured, his smile returned to him as he pulled himself up, dusting himself off. "Doesn't mean I won't anyway," he added in a low chuckle before turning his eye forward, his smile lowering a little. "We better not be late, come on." He added in his light smile before turning, presumably to leave. Leo watched him go with a sad frown of his own before sighing through his nose.

Like his companion, he stood up and turned to follow.

~

"I see," the Masked Man said for what felt like the umpteenth time that day. He sighed lightly through his nose as he brought his raised gloved fist softly to rest just under his nose, shaking his head as he did so. "So... it has come to this."

"C-Commander I'm...," Major Raymond began in a long wince as he stood before his superior officer. He opted to kneel down before him in a prostrating gesture, scrunching his eyes shut as he did. Captain Eliana, standing in a folded armed frown next to their masked commander, rolled her eyes as she watched and listened. "Words cannot describe-"

"Shut up, get up," the Field Marshal interrupted impatiently and rudely, yet calmly. Raymond gasped as he re-raised his head up to blink at the robed warrior. "I will not kill you," he added in a low toned annoyed pitch of his voice. "Right now we need all the manpower we can muster."

"B-But commander, surely our forces aren't in that bad of a state?" Eliana chanced in the conversation with a light chuckle. When the Field Marshal turned to glare at her wordlessly she got her answer quicker than ever having to say anything to her. She couldn't help but gulping down a load of saliva as she watched him tensely. "We're... backed into a corner aren't we?"

"Yes," the Masked Man finally responded before re-folding his arms and sighing as he turned his head back forward. "And Sathryon's brat, it would appear, is the sole reason."

"Is that all?" Eliana couldn't help but laugh in rebuttal. Raymond and their commander both turned over to her to stare back. "You both can't be serious! One man? And he's just a child isn't he?"

The Masked Man merely shook his head in disagreement before turning his folded armed body around to pace around behind them.

"Raymond, tell her."

Now on his feet, the Dragon Knight nodded obediently before turning to his Sniper comrade, frowning at her.

"The commander is correct; I saw him destroy general Cain in an instant," he answered simply in his concerned frown. Eliana's eyes shot wide open in pure shock, as if unaccustomed to the notion he presented her with. "There are even some in the Naerith army that are calling him the second coming of the previous winner of the war, twenty years past."

"B-But that's-"

"Yes, it is, I do agree," the Masked Man opted to interrupt their conversation with from the other side of the room, halting in his pacing as he did so to stare back at their surprised gazes. "All blind conjecture in an attempt to spread fear through the ranks... but there definitely is a resemblance."

"To him?" Eliana hissed out as she furrowed her brow in disgust. "To Sathryon Vikeruce?!"

"I've never seen anyone wield as much power as that in such a short amount of time," Raymond offered in response as he lowered his eyes in light reminiscing before suddenly widening his eyes as he realised his mistake. "U-Um, besides the commander of course."

"Hmph," the Masked Man muttered back before continuing to pace around the table in the meeting room they inhabited. "I didn't like Cain...," the Field Marshal admitted as he rounded a table corner to continue toward them; coming full circle. "But he was a competent warrior," he stated objectively as he fell short to stand in front of the only remaining pair of the unit. "We must not- we cannot make the same mistakes everyone else has made and underestimate our opponents."

A brief but tense period of seconds began to pass between the silent trio as they soaked in the awkward atmosphere, concern biting at their bodies like a disease.

"Commander...," Eliana began in response, biting her own lip in a show of her worry. "What can we do now?" The Sniper murmured over at her commanding officer. "If they beat Cain then there's no way that Raymond and I stand a chance against-"

"Enough of this," the Field Marshal growled angrily back in response, drawing a wince from the young woman. "We are not politicians. We are warriors."

"But commander... she's right," Raymond disagreed with, though as politely as he always did. The Masked Man's glare immediately turned on him but it did not dissuade the Dragon Knight. "Between the enemy's growing strength, our fast lowering forces and now this communication problem with the king; it's just...," the experienced warrior managed out as he shook his head in a show of his concern. "There's no way that we'll-"

"We are warriors!" The Masked Man repeated in a roar this time, his voice bouncing off the walls of the meeting room. "Naerith will not just lay over and die; especially not after beginning this war," he claimed boldly as he glared at the dreading pair. "Even in the face of death... a soldier's true purpose... is always the mission."

It took them a few seconds but, eventually they both nodded in agreement with their unit leader.

"So... what's our next COA, commander?" Raymond asked in a more solid frown this time, standing to attention loyally. The Masked Man re-folded his arms in his usual stance as he turned back to spy the man in front of him.

"We must take great care; the enemy outnumbers us decisively," he began in reply before flitting his firm gaze over to the listening Eliana. "Yet victory in battle... is not won through superior numbers."

"B-But...," Eliana began again in a light wince. Raymond cringed himself as he listened, expecting another flogging from their commanding officer. "W-What if they get lucky or-?"

"There is no such thing as luck on the battlefield," the Masked Man suddenly but calmly interrupted with, frowning back at her behind his disguise. The woman's eyes widened and her eyebrows rose to match her jolting surprise. "One of the few sensible things he ever said." The Field Marshal seemed almost to reminisce.

Both Eliana and Raymond exchanged an unsure look, as if doubtful in whether to pursue his words. Even being Naerith soldiers they easily recognised his words' origin and who they were famous for. Yet anytime that particular man was mentioned, the Masked Man generally appeared quite agitated.

"I promise you both, as long as you listen to me, follow my instructions exactly and do not split from your forces... then we will survive this battle," the Field Marshal explained briefly as he turned to face the pair one-a-time. They both nodded obediently and, as they did, he replied in kind with an inclination of his own. "Good... we will reconvene in one hour; gather your troops and I shall instruct every single one of you. Dismissed." The hardened warrior finished in a straight grunt as he raised up his gloved arm to visibly salute the pair.

"Sir!" The pair exclaimed simultaneously, echoing lightly across the open halls outside the meeting room, saluting him off in a similar recognition. The Masked Man watched as they turned to leave, presumably for their units before opting to leave himself. Instead of turning left in kind with his comrades, the Field Marshal opted to turn right down the long stony corridor.

Even as his boots clicked upon the hard surface of the castle however, he began to slow his fast walk speed to a mere trickle. His eyes narrowed beneath his mask before he finally stopped entirely, seemingly sensing a strange presence. His left gloved hand opened up in a light twitch before swiftly closing and, with cat-like reflexes, the covert warrior snapped his body around in an abrupt turn to glare behind him. He outstretched his free left arm, palm first, to expel forth a visible shield of blue Aegir.

A blast of Dark elemental magic smashed upon the shield, as if from no-where, and as it gradually dissipated the Masked Man was left with a single similarly murky frame before him. A hunched, grinning old man stared back at him, dressed in the dark robes he previously recognised. The Masked Man lowered his defensive arm but kept his suspicious gaze focused on him.

Cadil Agares.

"Hello," the Necromancer started in a light greeting; the Masked Man stiffened in response to his voice. His words seemed to carry a strange sense to them; almost as if they were not his. "Silvermoon." He added, his grin growing a little wider as he snorted along with his words. The Masked Man grunted back in reply glaring at him hatefully.

"Cadil," the Field Marshal greeted frostily in response. "What do you want?"

"Oh... nothing; just checking up," the Necromancer began in reply as he took a step forward, his face lit up by the crackling torches. "Have things unfolded as I have told you?"

A corner of the Masked Man's face twitched in a low scowl beneath his disguise before he replied.

"Yes," he began before continuing. "Not that it matters anymore..."

"Oh, no, really?" Cadil replied, his voice heightened to a patronising pitch as he watched the disguised warrior through his own hard-eyed glare, a grin on his gargoyle-like face to match. "What could have gone wrong? You have gotten everything you so desired!"

"Yes," the Masked Man said, turning his head away from the man's, almost as if ashamed somehow. "That is... perhaps the issue..."

"Hmph," the Necromancer huffed out in a show of light annoyance, a new low scowl growing on his face in place to match. "I would never have pegged you for the emotional type."

As if on command, his opponent snapped his masked face back, presumably to glare in response. Cadil regained his smirk, almost as if knowing of his face change beneath the disguise.

"What's wrong, oh feared Silvermoon?" He began again in a low chuckle. "Are you having regrets?"

This time however, the masked Field Marshal opted to swivel his head away in response, seemingly not opening his mouth in reply.

Cadil allowed himself to erupt into a sudden fit of laughter, his voice echoing across the many halls of Naesbray Castle.

"Incredible!" The tactician managed out through his chortles and chuckles. "To think that you would-"

"I am just one of many... Cadil," the Masked Man finally responded with; the named Necromancer let out a surprised gasp as he snapped his head down to frown at the mysterious warrior. "I may have fallen into the same pitfall every other member of my clan has... but I promise you this," he began again, his voice low and foreboding. Cadil's frown quickly began to morph into a low frown of his own, curled at the side of his mouth as he listened. "If I survive my encounter with Selthris Vikeruce... then you are next."

Silence.

"So...," the tactician began lowly as his low scowl gradually changed to the unsettling smirk he wore so well. "You know now... don't you?" He replied back in a low whisper, his voice mixing with the crackles and sparks that the embers on the torches provided them both with. Cadil let out another low chuckle as he stared back at the presumably glaring Masked Man. "Impressive legwork; I barely allowed that mortal enemy of yours to learn of this, let alone let you slip through the cracks."

"I despise you," the Masked Man admitted with a hard-edged scowl to his words. Cadil couldn't help but chuckle again in his curling smirk. "And with what you did to King Alpheus..." He began again as he leant his masked head to the side, eliciting a snort from the listening Necromancer.

"Still feeling sore about that, are you?" He shot back in a show of annoyance. "What will you do? Report it to your allies?"

The Masked Man opted this time to remain quiet, drawing another superior chortle from the robed tactician.

"You have no choice now but to listen to me," he added, his smirk quickly morphing into a gross growling glower. "You may be stronger than I am and by many times...," he began again before the side of his mouth shot up in a decisive curl once more. "But it doesn't matter."

"Even should I fail, then-"

"What then, that boy?" Cadil interrupted with as he took a deigning step forward to silence the glaring masked warrior. "That anger filled runt?"He further hissed in anger, leaning his head upwards as he did so to look down upon the taller man. "He won't listen to you; he abhors you with every fibre of his being," he explained taking his steps further until, eventually, he was within head-butting distance of the seemingly glaring Field Marshal. "I would stop having fantasies of opposing me with Selthris Vikeruce in tow... and begin to concept strategies to beat him," he warned quietly as he stood just below the Field Marshal yet, somehow, towering over him. "He at least will kill you." He finished with an upturn of his mouth into one more superior smirk before, suddenly, his form gave a strange blink and, like magic, he disappeared.

As the Masked Man glared forward down the now empty hall, the area he stood in reverberated with the sound of Cadil's final haunting snicker.

–-

2

"Tina?"

His voice, hazarded forward to reach her, seemed pointless. As his silver eyes scanned the inside of her tent, he could find her not. With a light wince of annoyance he sighed through his nose. Maybe I shouldn't bother, he thought.

"She might not believe me." He thought to himself as he watched the area where he once stood over her, hissing down at her angrily. Shaking his head lightly in a dismissive swivel of his head before turning to leave. Almost as if waiting for him however, his silver eyes widened at the shock of seeing her standing before him, glaring up at him.

He'd have laughed at how short she was if the mood or atmosphere was any better.

"What?" The Pegasus Knight spat out venomously, glaring angrily back up at him. He winced back in response, effectively swivelling his eyes away from hers in shame.

"I... wanted to... apologise for-"

"It's fine, you can go."

He gasped in surprise, snapping his eyes back down to stare at her, taken off guard by her sudden interruption and reply. She merely stared back at him in a low glower, clearly angry with him. He put on a firmer look to his own eyes in some attempt to add some firmness to himself but it seemed hopeless.

"No," the High Lord shot back calmly. "I came here to apologise. And I mean to apologise."

"You have nothing to apologise for," the Pegasus Knight spat back before angrily pushing aside the younger fighter, presumably to enter her tent. Selthris gasped lightly as he watched her march past him, her messy teal coloured hair bouncing as she did so. "Nothing happened."

"Really...?" Selthris mouthed lowly as he watched her quietly. She turned back to face as she reached her bed, leaning as she glared back at him.

"Really."

The pair stared at one another in silence for a few more seconds before, finally, Selthris sighed through his nose lightly, shutting his eyes as he did so. When he re-opened them he gave her a hard stare of his own before replying.

"I don't believe you," the High Lord boldly shot out with as he gazed back at her as firmly as she did him. The pair stood, transfixed before he opted to continue. "You can't tell me you feel as little as you seem to after what you told me yesterday."

"After what you said to me, why shouldn't I?" The Pegasus Knight shot back angrily, scowling back at him in response. "You clearly feel nothing; you told me as much."

"That's because-" Selthris began in retort before stopping himself in a show of frustration, temporarily lowering his silver-haired head as he did so. He shook it once, eliciting a folded armed raised eyebrow from the watching Tina before re-raising and opening his mouth to continue. "I meant what I said to you."

"And that is?" She asked, raising an emerald eyebrow upwards as she did so.

"That I'm a bad person," he reinforced, this time with a hard-edged glare. "I have to be this way; don't you see?" The High Lord reasoned with, using his arms and his hands to gesture in his explanation. "To-"

"For your father's death; I know," the Pegasus Knight replied with in a frown this time, her tone softer. She walked forward after speaking to shut the tent flap, as if to leave the pair alone before standing directly below him, watching him carefully. "The whole army knows," she began again, this time in a well-natured smile and chuckle, her earlier ire soon fizzling out. Selthris stared down at her in his hard yet tired frown. "I just... don't see it though."

"Don't see what?"

"When you say you're a bad person."

Selthris stood, blinking, taken aback. "But... I am-"

"But you're not," she laughed at him in a disagreeing shake of her head; she took a step forward. With a further hazard, she opted to take his right gloved hand in both of her own, smiling up at his surprised stare. "You saved my life at great risk to your own," the emerald haired Pegasus Knight claimed as she leant her head in her smile. Selthris tore his own silvery eyes away from hers, as if silently disagreeing. "I see now you didn't mean what you said, or, if you did," she began this time, lowering his hand. "Your definition might slightly differ from ours." She explained briefly with a light grin attached to her words.

Selthris' left eyebrow rose up and he couldn't help but put on a low smile of his own as she did.

"Oh you think so, do you?" He said in his own low smile, seemingly unable to do much but grin back at her.

"I know so," she replied back, leaning up to pop his nose cheekily with her left gloved hand, drawing a blinking wince from the youth. "It's fine," she finally settled with in a delighted shake of her head. "You can be whatever you want to be if this will help you."

"You mean with...?"

She nodded. "It'll be hard not to interfere, but..."

He nodded this time, his smile giving way to his usually grave frown. She frowned back at him before suddenly leaning in to embrace him. Surprised, Selthris let out a shocked gasp of air, taking a step backward as he did.

"L-Look, I'll be fine-"

"I know; Leo's told me everything," she began as she turned her head up to watch him. Unsure, he opted to lay his own hands around her back, frowning back down at her. "You won't even let him in with you when you fight Silvermoon."

He nodded, his low scowl returning to him. "I've waited a year for this," the High Lord growled out lowly. "Every day of my life has gone into this."

She winced, lowering her own eyes as she did so. "I know..."

Unused to affection of most kinds, Selthris stood uncomfortably, his scowl dissolving in the quiet silence between them before he finally peeled her off of him.

"I just wish I could pay you back," she smiled sheepishly back up at him as she joined her hands together. "You know, for saving me?"

He shook his head, dismissive. "You have nothing to feel indebted for," he replied in a shake of his head. "And besides; I won't lose," he added, this time in a hard scowl. "Not when I've poured every bit of my energy into this."

"But your opponent will be Silvermoon-"

"He could be the world's greatest warrior; I'll still beat him," the High Lord interrupted with a low growl. Her eyes widened before she put on a low grin and chuckled under her breath. He raised a curious silver eyebrow. "W-What?"

"I guess he is the world's strongest now that your father is gone." She said in a wan, sad smile. Selthris blinked before nodding.

"Yeah... I guess he is."

~

"All right... now, let's begin," Ariella started as she opened up the map, as per usual on the table below her. "While we have successfully driven the Naerith army into a corner... we cannot allow ourselves to be lax," the old woman began, this time with a light smirk as she turned to watch each member of the listening group. "This is, the culmination of Aselia and indeed even Etherthien's efforts; if we do well here today, the war is over." She claimed boldly.

Some of the more overambitious members of the group allowed themselves to let loose a bellowing war cry. The Alchemist winced lightly from the sound before leaning her head to the side, drawing a light smirking chuckle from her ever loyal aide, the folded armed Norman.

"I am fairly certain that our forces are strong enough to push through most of the Naerith army stationed at Naesbray Castle...," she began again as the group lulled to an uneasy silence. "Except for one soldier's unit."

"The Masked Man."

As if summoned through his mention, the tent's flaps opened to reveal the hard scowling Selthris, joined by the lightly smiling Tina. Ariella stood up straight alongside the frowning Leo, putting on a smile of her own as she re-joined her robed hands to regard him.

"Correct!" She nodded in his direction before turning to face the group, putting on a frown as she did so. "They don't call him Silvermoon for nothing."

"This is the guy that took out Sathryon Vikeruce, right?" Gorlin spoke up before nodding his head upwards at the thus silent trio of Aselian knights. The folded armed Ulric briefly turned to face the listening Ariella and Selthris and, receiving similar nods from the pair, he opted to open his mouth to respond.

"Yes," the veteran agreed in his nod. "I can finally say I have seen him fight."

"That guy's a machine!" Kay exclaimed over her superior, unintentionally rudely. George rolled his eyes comically as he listened. "I gave him everything I had but-"

"You what?"

She gasped, turning her eyes over to find the scowling Selthris staring back at her. Her frown soon morphed into an uneasy chuckle.

"U-Um what I meant to say was-"

"I gave you specific orders not to fight him!" The High Lord exclaimed, his tone angry as he took a step forward to watch the wincing Cavalier.

"Lord Selthris; in the end we were all fine," George attempted to reason with as he frowned back at his vassal. "We were able to pull our unit back before he-"

"He could have easily killed all three of you," Selthris interrupted once more, this time in a much lower tone of voice. He tilted his silver-haired head as he did so, as if to emphasise the impact of his words. "What would you have done then?"

"It's fine Sel, let it be," Leo reasoned with in a wincing shrug of his own as he faced the High Lord. Selthris sighed through his nose but finally nodded in begrudging agreement. "We're about to start in on this strategy anyway, so..."

"Indeed!" Ariella voiced in with a perky smirk. "Now, this time we shall be fighting in-doors," the Alchemist began again, this time with a frown as she took her arms out to point at the drawing of the castle on the map below. The group all leaned in to watch. "I suggest we split our forces up in each hallway. Each side can deal with either Captain Eliana or Major Raymond."

"What if that masked guy shows up?" Sabine opted to speak in with, folding his own arms as he did so. The group grew quiet once more. Selthris' eyes narrowed down hatefully at the map below him before snapping up to glare back at the Archer next to him.

"The Masked Man is mine," Selthris spat out in reply, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the listening Archer. "I know just how to kill him."

"He's the only one here who really can at any rate," Hawke agreed with from her corner, her own arms folded. The group turned to face her. "After what happened with General Cain, they're going to shoulder everything they have on him I think."

"That works out best for us in the end," Ariella nodded in agreement as she put on another confident smirk, clapping her hands softly as she did. "Ulric, Kay, George; your unit should take a portion of our forces through the left hallway and confront Captain Eliana."

Ulric bowed respectfully and wordlessly, eliciting a similar reply from his junior, George. Kay instead however merely winked back at her confidently, smirking as she did so.

"Gorlin, Leo and commander Selthris?" The Alchemist spoke up once more; the three in question turned to face her. "You all have previous fighting experience with the unit stationed to Major Raymond; you all will have the best chance statistically in fighting him."

Selthris exchanged a confident scowling nod with the grinning Leo and the smiling Gorlin.

"Gerard and Sabine, I want you two to offer your help to Ulric's unit," Ariella began again as she turned a frowning nod up at the listening Armour Knight and Archer in question. "Block their attacks and counter with your arrows if need be." She explained briefly, eliciting complying nods with the pair.

"Hawke, I want you to join them," the Alchemist explained briefly as she turned back up to face the leaning Sniper. She nodded at her, seemingly also frowning beneath her mask. "Dividing our forces will be difficult but I imagine you'll give them the edge they need."

"What about me?" Tina spoke up as she leaned forward, drawing a surprised frown from the listening old woman.

"Ah!" She smiled in recognition before tilting her head in a frown. "Can you fight without your mount?"

Tina blinked but nodded lightly.

"Then I want you with the commander's unit," she smirked further back, eliciting a warm smile from the Pegasus Knight. "I imagine he'll need someone watching over him..." The old woman couldn't help but joke as she turned her smirk over the scowling Selthris.

He turned his own eyes away from the group's, eliciting a light chuckle from the listening band of warriors. Tina couldn't help but grin up at the blushing High Lord as they did.

"Edgar, I want your axe with the commander's unit also," Ariella started once more as she turned to face the frowning Axe Fighter. He raised a curious eyebrow in response, as if to silently press her. "I imagine your Earth Style Aegir will make for a fearsome opponent if things don't go well against Raymond."

"Noted." Edgar finally deigned to in an agreeing nod, placing a hand on his hips as he did so.

"I will assist in the reserve unit with Norman," Ariella explained briefly as she gestured to her frowning but bowing aide next to her. She clapped her hands one more time, as if to signify the end of her briefing. "Now... is everyone clear?" She asked, scanning her eyes slowly across each member's frowns and grins. She put on a light grin of her own as she nodded. "Then may Aselia and Etherthien win the day!"

–-

3

Even as he stood next to the soldiers in his unit, Major Raymond of the Naerith army (or, what was left of it) couldn't help but watch the entrance and exit like a hawk. His eyes glared over at it, the words of his superior officer echoing through his head as he did.

"When his force enter, you will immediately have our Sorcerer unit lock the doors behind them and activate the trap we have set."

Raymond's eyes glared down at the mine's set for them all, well hidden underneath the hard tiles of the castle floor.

"If Selthris Vikeruce is as he seems to be throughout this campaign, he will not have counted for this."

The Masked Man's words echoed loudly across the walls of his mind as he watched the large double doors firmly, his nerves niggling at him.

"Sir, now?"

"No!" The Dragon Knight hissed back in light annoyance, snapping his head down to meet the lowly Halberdier next to him; his sub-commander of his own unit. "Only when I say."

"Yes sir, Major sir!"

The next few minutes passed by as uneventfully and as determinedly as he felt; finally however, the doors were very slowly creaking to life once more. Raymond's eyes widened as he watched and they quickly narrowed once more as he waited.

"Sir, now?" The Halberdier at his side whispered.

"No!"

As he had expected, the rock-like faced Selthris Vikeruce marched through the doors, joined by many men in a mix of sky-blue and dark-purple armour. A single male stood next to him; the youth he had fought only but a day before on the field of Wolveshire.

That Mercenary?

Even better, the unmounted Dragon Knight thought to himself.

Time seemed to slow down agonisingly for the glaring Dragon Knight, his eyes narrowing at the incoming forces.

One hundred men? One thousand?

Could be five thousand for all they knew; the Masked Man was right.

They had the advantage in terms of numbers by this point.

The Renegade Saints were Naerith's final hope.

Finally, as he had finished his last thoughts, the squadron that they took in with them finally stopped moving, huddling all near the open entrance. Raymond's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to issue the order.

"Now!" He roared, eliciting the Sorcerer unit behind him to draw up their arms together simultaneously, seeming channelling their Aegir together.

~

"What the-?" Leo murmured; he struggled to keep his footing, nearly thrown off balance as the ground rumbled horribly below him.

"Behind us!" Gorlin called out suddenly, his voice bouncing off the stone walls of the castle. Sure enough, before they could even move, the huge double doors of the building slammed together. The cacophony they exuded was only further amplified by the sudden yells of panic by the soldiers.

"Calm down!" Selthris exclaimed angrily at the front, turning to face them before snapping his silver-eyed stare down at the ground below him. His eyes widened as he exchanged a look with the nodding and similarly worried Leo.

"Mines!" The Mercenary whispered.

"Ed!" Selthris yelled out in a low scowl, snapping his head around to the nodding Axe Fighter. Seemingly needing no prodding, the young man exclaimed as he brought his steel axe down roughly, smashing the ground similarly practically. As if by magic, a huge earthen dome smashed up from the ground itself to block them in a decisive defensive move. The group of soldiers soon grew silent as they all stood huddled together in the darkness before, suddenly, the mines they had once mentioned went off outside the earthen dome.

DROOM

Gasping, Edgar yanked his steel axe upward from the ground, effectively disintegrating the rocky shield he used. As it broke up, the group were greeted by the ruined sight of the once pristine entrance they walked through. Further surprising the squadron of soldiers however, a voice rent through the air, leading a squadron of their own from the right.

"All units ATTACK!"

–-

4

Selthris grunted as he shot his unique sword up to block the leaping Raymond's own sword, seemingly a silver variant. The pair glared up and down one another respectively before Leo, at his commander's side, leapt up to press his own attack in; Raymond opted instead to use his legs to back-flip off of the gasping Selthris, recovering to the ground with a light skid.

While Selthris recovered from his defensive posture, Leo instead pressed the attack and opted to pursue the recovered Raymond. With a narrow-eyed grunt he leapt upwards in an athletic forward flip before descending down in a plummeting slash with his steel sword. While the pair glared in a similar manner as before, the super-fast Selthris shot over to their position, his own sword at the ready. The unmounted Dragon Knight's eyes widened as he caught the youth rushing at him from the corner of his vision before he swiftly leapt to his rear position.

Selthris shot through the blurry and disappearing form of his opponent with a deft dive kick; the High Lord recovered by utilising a poor gasping Naerith Soldier's face however, opting to kick back off of him to flip sideways in recovery. This time however, the reappearing Raymond gave chase to his noble blooded opponent and gave vent to an effort filled roar as he shot across the castle floor; his water elemental Quintessence was clearly utilised in an attempt to boost his speed. The ground kicked up tiles as water itself was left behind him in his race.

Channelling his lightning elemental prowess to his own sword however, Selthris couldn't help but put on a low smirk as he realised his opponent's affinity. Raymond's own eyes also widened but in an opposite form of surprise; though he winced at the thought of mixing his affinity with his weakness, he opted to continue regardless. The pair let loose a simultaneous war cry as they smashed their weapons together in a firm struggle; the castle itself shook from their effort and their power, drawing surprised and concerned yells from the surrounding soldiers on both sides.

"Aegir Art; Vacuum Wave!"

The pair were interrupted by the appearance of the grinning Mercenary behind them, covered in his own affinity of Quintessence. Selthris' silver eyebrow rose as he watched between the approaching pair, unsure on how his opponent would respond. Clearly his hands were full with attempting to overpower him so how would he-?

SPLASH

The Vikeruce heir's eyes widened in pure shock; when Leo shot across the air to slash at the undefended Raymond, the unmounted Dragon Knight merely exploded in a show of splashing water. The water itself splashed on the youth's face and he growled angrily as he wiped himself off as quickly as he could.

A water substitution or clone of some kind?

It was the first time he had seen such a technique.

"Sel!" Leo called out from the back in a loud warning, skidding in his own recovery. Selthris blinked in his turn before widening his eyes when he caught the similarly wide-eyed glaring Raymond sweeping him in response. Selthris gasped as he was sent off his feet; he attempted to catch himself with his free left hand on the ground below him, however, the growling Raymond followed up with a spinning slash and kick across the boy's body and face respectively.

Selthris grunted in pain as he was sent careering through the castle, rolling in mid-air. Raymond gave pursuit with a narrow-eyed scowl, disappearing and swiftly reappearing to the boy's undefended side; he slammed his foot into the youth's face, sending him back where he came from. Following once more, Raymond spun his silver sword around his hand before narrowing his eyes and upping his descent down. Selthris' eyes widened when he felt Leo's wind elemental Aegir slow his plummet, giving him the energy necessary to recover in time.

Utilising his free left hand, the youth opted to spin his body around in a deft side-flipping cartwheel, skidding across the ground as he did so. He growled lowly in anger as he wiped at the trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth before shooting up his sword in defence.

"Boss, no!" Gorlin called over from his engagement with a group of Naerith soldiers, watching for a few seconds. Selthris opted not to listen however channelled further lightning to his sword, perhaps in an attempt to defend.

DROOM

Just as before with their mine strategy, the ground and the castle itself shook terribly as they crashed together; Selthris' bright white lightning and Raymond's dark blue water. A slow grin growing on Selthris' face however managed to disarm the surprised and curious faced Raymond above him. His hard silver eyes suddenly changed to the gloomy black he remembered from just a day's past and the white lightning he commanded soon also shifted to a bleak ebony, crackling loudly.

"No!" The Dragon Knight gasped out, his eyes widening. Selthris' grin was soon lost to him in favour in an angry scowl and the youth began a long yell as he used his free arm to grasp at his enemy's uniform above him. Seemingly parrying his attack to counter-attack, Raymond could do little but widen his eyes in horror as he watched the youth exude serious strength by spinning him around and aiming downward.

SMASH

Raymond's roar of pain was cut short by the explosion Selthris caused, pulling his older opponent downward into the tiled ground. The black lightning he commanded seemed to intensify the explosion, sending tiles and stones sailing through the air; unfortunately for Raymond, his water aura did little to protect him from the ebony electric that he faced off against.

Perhaps having been dealt an attack directly and with super effectiveness, the unmounted Dragon Knight spoke no more; he lay on the ground as the smoke cleared, his skin scorched by the black lightning his opponent provided. Blood covered the ground he lay on and it secreted from his mouth and other parts of his body; a clear indication of defeat.

–-

5

As he marched on through to the main hall at the end of the castle's main foyer, Selthris narrowed his silvery eyes around the area.

Quiet, he thought. Almost... too quiet.

Even having defeated the seemingly last hordes of the Naerith army, Selthris felt no elation, no real sense of victory.

Not until he was face to face with his father's murderer.

Everything until then was a mere stepping stone.

"Things are good," Leo's voice called lightly from behind him. Selthris' eyebrows lifted upward and, as he about turned to face his close Mercenary companion, he frowned back in his usual business-like expression. "I've just checked with Ulric's unit; they managed to fight through Captain Eliana's easier than we did."

"Then Ariella was right on the money," Selthris answered in a deft nod before turning his hard-eyed glare on the double doors ahead of them. Leo traced his stare, almost as if reading his thoughts. "There's only one more thing left to do now."

"I was right on the money, thank you!"

The pair turned again to find the smiling old woman herself walking toward them, joined as always by her bodyguard Norman.

"Ariella," Leo greeted in a light smile and chuckle. "Glad you're all right." The Mercenary spoke in genuine concern.

"As am I," the Alchemist agreed with, bowing respectfully as she did so. "You all did an excellent job in performing this strategy; no deaths have been reported," she explained briefly as she re-raised her head to face the pair. Though Leo smiled back at her, Selthris had already turned his hard-edged glower on the double doors before him. "I see you're still dead-set on this... hm?" Ariella asked, her tone suggesting less of a question as opposed to a statement. Her frown remained unperturbed as she watched the back of his silvery-haired head glare forward at the doors before him. "Here," she began again, taking a few steps forward. Finally he broke his gaze to turn and blink down at her; she offered a small pill. He took it in his hand and frowned down at it. "A food pill," she explained briefly in her smirk. "To replenish your Quintessence."

Selthris watched her in a show of light surprise before exchanging brief glances with both her and the similarly spectating Leo. The well-mannered Mercenary merely shook his head in his greeting smile before very lightly punching the boy's tabard on his shoulder; a brotherly show of affection.

"It's cool; this fight is yours alone, I get it," the Mercenary claimed in his understanding smile. Selthris' own surprised frown soon turned softer and his eyes turned with it. "You heard Hawke earlier this morning... only you can beat this guy... right?" He reminisced briefly in his smile before morphing it lightly into a smirk, leaning his head to the side as he did so. He re-raised up his clenched fist in a gesture to be returned with. Selthris couldn't help but put on a smile of his own; a genuine one this time.

Returning the gesture, Selthris smirked back at his best friend, nodding. "Right." The High Lord answered before taking the small pill Ariella gave to him and quickly downing it with a noisy gulp.

"Don't forget to come back alive," Norman spoke up, catching the listening Leo and Ariella off guard for a second or two. Selthris looked back down from his swallow to nod at the swordsman. "That man is trouble."

"Norman is right; be careful in there and just remember," Ariella agreed with before swiftly adding to her sentence. "If you are unable to beat him then do not needlessly waste your life; there will be other opportunities."

Though he disagreed, Selthris nodded regardless in some attempt to placate the old woman.

"Go, Sel," Leo threw in with a confident smirk of his own. Selthris turned briefly to frown at him before slowly growing a grin of his own. "Make him sorry he was ever born!" The Mercenary whispered over in his sociable grin, eliciting a simple and voiceless nod from the younger boy before he swiftly turned on his heel and ran for the double doors. They gave a loud creak and whirr as they opened before him; he opted not to stay to shut it behind him.

"Where's he going?"

Leo, Ariella and Norman all turned in their surprised stares to find the frowning Edgar, Gorlin and Tina behind them. Leo turned to exchange his grave frown with the similarly expressed Ariella and the pair shook their heads before facing them to respond.

"It's time," Leo spoke up in response before edging his head back the way behind him, adding his thumb as he did. "The Masked Man, we think, is through those doors."

Gorlin and Edgar exchanged similarly curious raised eyebrows yet Tina merely stared back at him, seemingly shocked. Her eyes snapped back up to the doors and then at Leo before she suddenly attempted to break into a run. Leo gasped as he barely caught the quick young woman, holding her back via her back torso.

"Let... me... go!" The dismounted Pegasus Knight yelled rebelliously as she struggled in his grip. "I'm not letting him go alone!"

"It's his decision!" Leo called back in grit teeth.

"Calm down!" Ariella exclaimed suddenly and, as if by respect, the young woman finally settled herself down but not without an annoyed grunt and a folding of her arms. "How do you think he feels?" The old Alchemist whispered over, gesturing toward the frowning Leo. Tina blinked and turned to face him; he merely turned his eyes away in his own frown, a hand on his hip as he did so. "How do you think we all feel?" She further explained. "We have all gotten rather close in this campaign; for him to do this is..."

"It's stupid!" Tina exclaimed in interruption, clearly annoyed and frustrated. "What if he dies? What then?"

"He's been set on this since the very beginning, Tina," Edgar finally decided to speak in with; the named woman gasped as she turned to face him. He stood leant to the side as he frowned back at her in a business-like fashion, his steel axe hanging across his broad shoulders. "He won't be able to move on until he does this... by himself." He explained, illustrating his sentence as he did so.

"If you saw what we have a year ago, you'd know a little more about him," Gorlin offered in with, his muscled arms folded. "The kid's all kinds of messed up about this but it's his life; we just can't interfere."

"Ed and Gorlin are right," Leo agreed with as he kicked a stray pebble on the ground, his hand still resting on his hip. "We have no right getting in the way of this."

"So what then, just sit and wait?" The Pegasus Knight exclaimed in further frustration.

Norman shrugged before nodding. "Yep."

She stared back at him in a mix of anger and confusion.

"Don't worry," Leo offered in with this time, a light grin on his face. She turned to face him, losing her annoyed stare. "He won't fail." He claimed boldly in his grin.

She sighed through her frustrations before shaking her head and turning to pace away as if to herself. Leo couldn't help but lose his grin in favour of a similarly worried frown before finishing off his thoughts.

"I hope."

~

"Is that all you have?"

Selthris' low scowl twitched as he ran through the darkened corridors of Naesbray Castle, aiming for the centre throne room. He couldn't help but try to squash down the niggling emotions attempting to wrench at his heart and his mind and yet...

Why did thoughts of her enter his mind at this point in time?

Staciel, his only sister.

He had completely forgotten about her since just barely remembering her name at the Vikeruce Tomb, during his meeting with the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide.

So why now, he asked himself.

Before he could even finish his thoughts however, he finally found the presumed last pair of doors before him. With a light grunt he forced one of them open and slid through, his silvery eyes darting around. This room was lit well and tastefully decorated. Resting in sconces were expensive torches; seemingly only the best for Naerithian architecture. Running up the room was a tastefully crimson coloured rug, decorated with the Naerith country symbol. A chandelier also rested up above.

Selthris allowed his silver eyes to wander downwards and his vision immediately soured; his eyes darted forward to find the object of his desires. In between two expensive stone pillars sat the Masked Man, staring wordlessly and eerily back at him. The pair stayed frozen in their stances, glaring at one another similarly hatefully before, finally, one spoke up.

"Faster than I expected," the Field Marshal spoke up as he raised his masked head to stare back at the youth. "Major Raymond and Captain Eliana?"

"Both dead." Selthris spat back as he narrowed his eyes to thin slits. The Masked Man opted to remain silent for a second or two before finally responding.

"Pity," he spoke back in response before raising his right gloved hand to gesture forth; he pulled his fingers forward, as if to ask him to approach. "Come forward...," he illustrated before nodding his head upwards. "I won't bite." He claimed, his words seemingly carrying a sarcastic sense of tone to them.

Selthris merely glared wordlessly back at him before finally opting to respond; he nodded and marched forward, his white boots clicking noisily and even echoing in the chamber. Finally he stopped marching when he stood directly between the two pillars; a mere stone's throw away from the Masked Man's seat. The Field Marshal sat up and seemingly sighed through his nose as he watched him wordlessly for a few seconds.

"You are still set on this...," the Masked Man opened with as he stared back at the hateful faced High Lord. "Aren't you?"

Though he did not respond vocally, Selthris glowered venomously back at him and the Masked Man seemed to chuckle lowly, his voice echoed in the throne room.

"I had thought that... perhaps we could...," the Field Marshal chuckled as he lowered his masked head, shaking it as he did so. Selthris raised a curious silver eyebrow upward as he listened. "Well... I see I cannot change your mind."

"Change my mind...?" Selthris mouthed in a light whisper as he furrowed his brow forward, watching the Masked Man stand up from the throne he sat in. "What are you-?"

"There is far more at stake in this than you know," the Field Marshal claimed cryptically as he seemingly glared back at the youth. "If you and I were to join forces-"

"Join forces?!" Selthris couldn't help but guffaw back in sudden laughter, taken aback briefly. The Masked Man dropped his voice in favour of a low glower, listening further. "You killedmy father you bastard." The High Lord finally hissed back, glaring forward similarly.

The Masked Man seemed to find no words with which to reply to; he merely stared back, opting his mortal enemy to speak further.

"And now you're gonna pay." Selthris added as he scowled cruelly in his words.

"So... Cadil was right," the Masked Man merely chuckled with in reply as he shook his head dismissively. Selthris re-raised another eyebrow in curiosity as he listened. "There is nothing I can say to convince you otherwise?"

Though he wondered why the Field Marshal was trying so hard to turn the conversation around, Selthris remained resolute in his choice; he shook his head in his vicious scowl.

"Fine." The Masked Man spat back this time before lifting his right arm horizontally. He hung it in the air and it glowed a light blue; a kind of unnatural electricity sparked around it before, suddenly, the sword hanging next to the throne behind him lifted up. Then, as if by magic itself, the sword soon hovered lightly toward him and he gripped it before suddenly twirling it around to point at the youth.

Selthris slapped his hands together in a praying-like gesture, his mind focusing hard on his strategy to beat his mortal enemy. The Masked Man watched him wordlessly for a second or two before seemingly opening his mouth.

"The Aselian fields," he began lowly, as if reiterating history. "And Wrulz Mountain in Etherthien," he explained briefly; Selthris' silvery eyed glare intensified as he recognised his words. "Twice I have made you taste bitter defeat," the Masked Man claimed boldly before continuing. "Once in front of your father and again in front of your only companion."

"Back then I was just a child," Selthris growled over lowly; the ground beneath him to shake lightly, as if foreboding. "Now... now I'm-"

"A man?" The Field Marshal interrupted, seemingly raising an eyebrow beneath his disguise. Selthris glared back voicelessly, his own Aegir giving rise to an unnatural electricity. "Hmph... well... we shall see...," he added on similarly forebodingly before leaning his robed body to the side and directly pointing his weapon at the youth. "Son of Sathryon."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Endgame: Vikeruce's Retribution  
Et Excrementum Geminos Arc  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.

Featured Music: "Pray for Victory" – Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.  
"Wall Day (Great Red Spirit ~ Dynasty Warriors 5) Dynasty Warriors Online OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).  
"Main Theme" - Metal Gear Solid OST. Scene 3 (First Half).  
"The Rain Stops" - Naruto Part II OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).

\--

The Aselian and Etherthien forces have finally broken through Naerith and reached the capital at Naesbray and, yet, King Alpheus is no-where to be found. The only reminders of his existence are the Renegade Saints; his own personal unit. One by one they all fall to the Aselian forces at the head until, finally, only their commander is left.

The Masked Man.

Having struck a deal with his closer companions, Selthris Vikeruce's attempt at revenge is finally within reach; he places the mysteriously missing king out of his mind and merely focuses on the object of his desires for long past a year. Though the Masked Man himself seems to almost regret his earlier actions and even offers a cease-fire with the High Lord, Selthris obliges him not. With his final objective finally in grasping distance, he reasserts his resolve and the two stare one another down for their final confrontation.

This year long odyssey, in which a father's death began in, is finally coming to a close here today.

\--

Scene 1

"You are certain this is what you want?"

Selthris looked up from his conjoined hands and praying to blink in pure surprise; the Masked Man glared back at him before continuing on, as if pressed.

"I have much to tell you." He offered in a low tone of voice, his words almost seeming to ricochet off of the castle walls they stood in. Selthris' silvery eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"How about we make a deal?" The High Lord proposed as his white lightning began to crackle around him; a clear indication of his Aegir growing. "If I can take that mask of yours off...," he began lowly before putting on a low smirk, as if already knowing somehow. "Then you can tell me whatever you want to."

The pair seemed to stare one another down for what felt like hours and yet, no words were passed between them, except a mutual knowing desire of hatred between them. Finally, however, the Masked Man responded.

"Fine," he finally spat before twirling his sword around in a fighting stance, his robes being blown around the area as a result of the electricity growing between the two. "Then show me, son of Sathryon! Show me your strength!"

~

As if pulled by his words, the Masked Man grunted as he leapt forward in an obvious pursuit attack; though he attempted to slash at the youth's body and face his weapon clanged noisily against an invisible shield of some kind.

"What the-?" The Field Marshal gasped out as he stumbled backwards in surprise. As if reacting to his attack, Selthris' once silvery eyes shot wide open and with them came an incredible tremor that not only rocked the very foundations of the castle that they stood in but the shocked Masked Man himself. He had to steady himself to stop from falling and, as he shot his head up to stare back at the yelling Selthris, he swiftly found multiple differences present in the boy.

The once white lightning had switched to a dark ebony and his aura of Quintessence had intensified to look like pure fire itself in spite of its natural affinity. His similarly black eyes burned with the intense hatred he had once focused on him and a silvery shadow plucked at each side of his eye.

A transformation change, perhaps?

Whatever it was, the Masked Man thought to himself, it was far too much strength for anyone at their station.

Attempting to counter the youth, the narrow-eyed Field Marshal shot his own arms to his side and began to charge his own Aegir to match him. Before he could catch up to his opponent however, the youth suddenly vanished from his vision. The Masked Man's eyebrows rose upwards in curiosity and though he searched for him, it was far too late.

SMASH

The Field Marshal's breath was caught in between his throat and his mouth; an intense pain suddenly filled his lower stomach and chest area. His eyes snapped downwards to find the similarly scowling Selthris, fist sunk six inches deep and even drawing blood.

"W-Wha-?!"

Without uttering another word, Selthris roared with effort as he smashed his boot across the grunting Masked Man's face, his ebony lightning crackling in his movement. As he careered through the air aimlessly, rolling in pain, the Masked Man's eyes widened before he exclaimed in a mixture of anger and shock, utilising his Aegir to back-flip and recover in mid-air, levitating harmlessly. He spat out the blood that collected in the back of his mouth before growling lightly as he set his limbs aside from one another to charge his Quintessence once more.

This time the vanishing Selthris re-appeared behind the masked general and attempted to follow up his blinding offence with a simple but effort-filled punch. The Masked Man spun around and, utilising his own lightning, he growled as he caught the boy's blackened fist into his left palm, beginning a begrudging struggle between the two. The two levitated in the air for at least a few seconds before, finally and suddenly as well, Selthris seemed to expend yet more power and effort in his attack; a roar escaped his scowling mouth as he pushed his body forward.

The Masked Man's eyes widened behind his disguise and he yelped in sudden and surprised pain as he was sent rolling backward at high speed. Using his sword arm on his right to cartwheel in recovery, he landed in a gasping skidding scowl. He shot up his masked head to look for his super-fast opponent and widened his eyes when he realised he disappeared again. His alarm growing he snapped his head around in searching for the youth and shook his badly burnt left fist as if to heal it somehow before gasping as he caught the youth beside him...

… but all too late.

Selthris smashed his black and blazing fist into the masked Field Marshal's face, sending him rolling through the air; he unfortunately dropped his sword to the ground with an audible clang, forcing him to reach out in desperation to catch the weapon but to no avail. Unfortunately for the Masked Man, his opponent's offence was not over yet; with widened, shocked eyes he found was he was being pulled back the way he came.

"How is he doing this?!" The panicking Field Marshal managed to think to himself with grit teeth behind his disguise. His eyes traced the scowling Selthris ahead of him and he found he was utilising arms made of Quintessence. The boy's mortal enemy's eyes widened in growing alarm before, finally, he had had enough. The Masked Man allowed himself to be pulled in before charging his right fist with lightning Aegir. Selthris seemed to note it but it did not dissuade him; as he pulled the mysterious warrior in, he seemed to do the same with his own free right fist. The pair began a long, proud and similarly desperate war cry together as they approached before, finally, colliding their lightning with one another.

BANG

A simple explosion of pure power erupted between the two, intensified heavily by their burning auras of Quintessence. The tiles and even pillars around them began to erode just from being close to their roaring and chirping lightning, an unnatural wind blowing the tiles everywhere around them. They levitated in mid-air with one another, roaring similarly for what felt like even longer than before; finally however, as Selthris' eyes turned an even darker shade of ebony (if that were even possible) his strength also increased and not just by a small amount.

The Masked Man's eyes widened again in an alarming gasp when he found this, ultimately finding no answer to his inner panicked questions. Before he was sent flying backward, his mind almost seemed to picture multiple faces on his opponent's younger one. The Field Marshal stared at him curiously.

First Sathryon's scowling face stared back at him and then, others from the books he had read until, finally, one more that opted to tip him off.

The hard-frowning face of the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide.

"Inconceivable!" The Masked Man suddenly hollerred as loud as he could above the din of their auras before, finally, Selthris' strike struck true; the Field Marshal gasped in another bout of intense pain as his opponent managed to smash him directly in the face. He was sent rolling through the air rapidly and as he twisted and ricocheted across the once tiled ground painfully.

CRACK

The Masked Man growled as he utilised his left gloved arm to slow his skidding, raking the ground painfully; bringing up further tiles and dust. He managed to force himself back upward but not without a grunt of effort; his mind attempted to quickly recall the events which transpired.

Selthris out-performed him again.

He had managed to see the faces of his opponent's ancestors in him.

And finally, he managed to almost break his durable mask while he was at it.

The Field Marshal shot his bleeding right arm up to grasp at his mask in question, feeling the intense crack he had caused diagonally across the facial area.

How did he get so strong in such a short space of time?!

His answers were opted not to be responded to however for when the Field Marshal snapped his vision back forward, his opponent had disappeared again.

"Not again!" He exclaimed suddenly in a mixture of shock and anger, snapping his head around in searching. Unfortunately for him, however, it was the black lightning chirping above him that finally tipped him off; the Field Marshal shot his head upwards in his wide-eyed glare to find the rapidly plummeting Selthris, right fist covered in ebony coloured electricity.

If that particular one hit...

… then that might be the end.

As if mirroring their earlier fight at Wrulz Mountain, the Masked Man, finding his body too weak to escape the attack entirely, opted to kneel forward and bend his body upwards. He crossed his robe-torn arms up in an X to defend hopelessly against the incoming attack.

"All my hatred...," Selthris' low voice bounced off of the walls in spite of his loudly chirping lightning. "In this one attack!" He roared, this time his voice entering the twitching-faced Masked Man's. "Denjin... Et...!" The High Lord began before, finally, he approached within reasonable distance; the Masked Man's own eyes widened as he intensified his Aegir shroud to block the incoming attack. "MESSATSU!"

DROOM

Almost immediately the Masked Man's fears heightened as he watched his opponent shout over the din of his own attack, his lightning fist easily piercing the man's gasping defence. With little recourse over it, the ebony burning fist smashed hard into the Field Marshal's face, clearly aimed for his mask. The pair began to clamour together as loudly as their lungs would allow, the ground and very building itself shaking with each passing second that they were locked.

CRACK

As Selthris' fist burned intensely into the mask below him it finally began to give way, with each second a tiny part was taken from the main disguise itself. His adrenaline increasing to untold amounts, he let loose a long war cry, his voice bouncing off the walls as roughly as his attack did.

"NOOOOOOOO!" The Masked Man's voice called out from beneath the youth.

"Now you will show me...," Selthris began lowly before widening his night-black eyes at his hated enemy. "Who you ARE!"

–-

2

Selthris grunted lightly as he back-flipped in recovery from his earlier direct attack; his morale and mood raised to an extremely high temperature as he realised he had finally come within range of achieving his year-long ambition. He frowned as hard as he was able to, opting to give the smoke ahead of him time to clear. What seemed to take ages eventually and finally passed for the youth before, subsequently, it did and Selthris was greeted to a shocking sight indeed.

His unnamed opponent was knelt down, their now visible silvery head of hair lowered similarly in tandem from his attack. Selthris' brow furrowed as he noted the figure's hair colour.

It couldn't be, he thought to himself.

The mysterious fighter finally raised their head and, as if acting on his dreading fears, a woman glared back at him wordlessly. Her bruised, battered and bloody face scowled back at him and her long and wavy silver hair bounced around her complexion as she raised her head up to face him.

"Selthris," she finally spoke and the High Lord's black eyes widened in pure, unadulterated shock. "It's... been a while."

"But that's-" Selthris gasped out as he watched her in a dismissive shake of his head. "S-Staciel...?"

Finally, a name to a face, she pulled herself up with a low grunt, dusting off her tattered robe as she did so.

His only sibling and, his twin.

Staciel Vikeruce.

"Why hadn't I-?"

"Realised it?" The woman interrupted with, raising a curious eyebrow as she did so. She turned a corner of her mouth up at him in seeming hatred. "Because I didn't want you to."

"F-Father and...," Selthris began in reply as he gripped the sides of his head and shook it wildly, as if attempting to rid himself of the growing stress. "Why?!" He exclaimed this time as he shot his head back up to scowl angrily at her. "What is this?!" He demanded hotly, swiping his burning fist horizontally through the air for effect. Staciel merely stared back at him for a few seconds before leaning her silvery-haired head to the side.

"Et Excrementum Geminos."

Selthris blinked in surprise. "Wha-?"

"You were speaking the old language when you used that attack on me earlier," she shot back in her brief explanation. "Loosely translated... it means: 'The Abominable Twins'."

"The Abominable Twins...?" Selthris parroted in response, shaking his head dismissively, as if looking for the answer himself. "What...?"

"That necklace you still wear," she began in reply, raising her left hand to point over at it. Selthris blinked and traced her finger to find the gemstone he remembered. "The Fire Emblem."

"What about it?" Selthris spat back testily, shaking his head as he curled his mouth upwards in a mixture of frustration and curiosity.

"Don't you remember the letter you were given?"

Selthris' muscles stiffened and he stared back at her, shocked, surprised and suspicious.

"How did you know about that?" He whispered apprehensively, his eyes widened as he did so.

She merely stared back at him in her tired-eye expression before finally replying. "I couldn't be sure when I saw that power you wielded," she began once more before nodding her head slowly and continuing. "But it is true; you must have met our ancestor," the unmasked Field Marshal explained briefly; Selthris had to stop from gasping, opting instead to widen his eyes voicelessly. "The very first of us."

"The... Sorcerer of the Divine Divide," Selthris answered for her, also nodding in response. She merely stared back at him wordlessly, as if emphasising him to continue. "But... what do you mean about-?"

"Didn't he tell you anything? About our clan? Maybe our history?"

Selthris' blurry black eyes widened again in surprise and recognition.

She was right, he thought.

What was it he said?

It felt so long ago now he could barely remember.

"Something about...," he ventured to guess in his bad remembrance, shaking his head lowly as he did so before quickly re-raising it to face her. "This all happening before?"

She clicked her right fingers at him in her hard frown, ending in a direct point. "You and I; we're just two links in a much greater chain," the Field Marshal nodded as she explained before persevering on. "If we continue this fight...," she began again, this time with a hard furrowed brow and a slimming narrow of her eyes. "Then we will die."

Selthris couldn't help but gasp even lightly in response, broadening his eyes in a show of his shock. "W-Why, how?"

"I was told this by a fortune teller of some renown," she explained briefly in retort. "It would seem fate is indeed cruel." Staciel claimed in her low tone of voice as she lowered her eyes to match her sombre tone.

"You mean our clan history, don't you," Selthris finally recognised; surprised, Staciel shot up her head and stared at him for a second before finally nodding. "I've read... a little." He admitted; this time he was the one to turn his eyes elsewhere, as if knowing. The pair shared a similarly suspicious silence before Staciel subsequently threw in a few words of her own.

"So...," she began, pulling the youth's attention upward. "Even knowing... that I am our father's killer...," the Field Marshal claimed as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Can you still kill me?"

Selthris stared at her for a few seconds wordlessly, as if working her words out for himself. However, he finally responded.

"Yes," the High Lord growled out through grit teeth, his blazing black eyes glaring back at her. "But... I need to know."

Staciel raised a curious eyebrow up as she listened, pressing him to continue.

"Why?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her suspiciously. "Why would you kill our father?"

"Why...?" Staciel repeated in a venomous spit, glaring at him in a similarly hateful expression. "Do you even remember our childhood?"

He blinked at her before shaking his head.

"I... remember small parts but... very little of us."

"Of course you don't," she spat in her seething scowl. "You stole everything from me before I was even born." She hissed at him angrily.

Selthris merely tilted his head in curiosity at her, allowing her to continue on.

"I was always much stronger and far more intelligent than you were and yet, father, that imbecile," she spat out, scowling hatefully as she thought of the man in question. "He chose you."

"You sound like you're obsessed, Staciel," Selthris answered, raising his eyebrow upward suspiciously at her. "Is that what this is?"

"You shut your mouth... little brother," the Field Marshal hissed back, similarly cruelly. "The only reason I exist was a pure accident."

"Accident...?"

"Sathryon never loved me," she spat out angrily and hatefully. "He saved everything for his only son; the one child he was never disappointed in." She pointed out.

Selthris' own eyes narrowed forward as he listened. He felt like interrupting her but it wouldn't be polite. Especially after everything they had both been through.

I should at least let her talk, he thought.

"Don't you remember?" She hissed over at him angrily as she took a few steps toward him, glaring at him in a similarly hateful manner. Selthris merely stared at her, furrowed brow and all in a concentrating fixation of his own. "The only reason he chose you is because you weren't a woman!" The eldest of the two suddenly finished with an angry yell, this time eliciting a surprised gasp from the youth before her.

"W-Wha-?" He merely managed out in a low stammer. "But that can't be; father would never-"

"I knew more about him than you realise, little brother," Staciel interrupted him, this time with a low knowing grin. Selthris, taken aback, winced as she did so but opted to listen further. "Father wasn't the angel the people of Aselia made him out to be," she offered as she shook her head at him, opting to fold her torn robed arms at him, pacing around the freshly dilapidated throne room as she did so.

"What are you talking about?" Selthris dared to venture with, narrowing his aura burning eyes at her in hard thought as he did so.

"Come now, Selthris, don't make me say it," the Field Marshal chuckled knowingly and even almost sadistically to a point. Selthris watched her, his eyes slowly widening as he listened; her grin seemed to grow wider, as if recognising the influx of information he took. "That's right."

"No; father would never-"

"Yes, he did Selthris!" Staciel interrupted him once again, this time unfolding her arms and swiping her left diagonally as she spoke, taking a step forward. "And to make matters worse he put all of his effort into focusing on you," she spoke in a upward curl of her lip, as if disgusted somehow. Selthris watched her in a mixture of hurt and insult but allowed her to continue regardless. "Pathetic."

"I know we never really spent much time together in our childhood...," Selthris began in reply as he put on his hardest frown back to speak to her with. "But do you really hate me so?"

Staciel merely stared back at him cruelly, as if to answer his question with her chilly demeanour in response.

"But...?"

"You...," she began lowly and angrily, looking down on him as if she were speaking to an insect. "You stole everything from me before I was even born!" She exclaimed suddenly, her low but angry voice bouncing off the walls of the throne room.

Selthris narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at her, though he gave her a light wince back as if to recognise her words. The Field Marshal seemingly couldn't help but let out a knowing chuckle, her lip turning up to match her tone as she paced around the room, watching him intently.

"You should understand me brother," Staciel chuckled over at him, a knowing grin on her face as she tilted it at him; seemingly an old habit of hers. "You, who could kill our own real-"

FLASH

Selthris gasped as he stumbled backward, ebony eyes widening in shock. Crimson-hot images suddenly flickered across his mind and he could only grasp the sides of his head as they did. He scrunched his eyes shut roughly in response to the older warrior's words, attempting to drown her voice out to a mere blurry echo. Seemingly noticing his actions, Staciel watched him with a curious raise of her eyebrow before curling the bloodstained side of her left lip upwards in seeming amusement, or, indeed; satisfaction.

"So... this is your true face," she spoke as he pulled his hands back down, staring back at her angrily. "You enjoyed it... didn't you?"

"What are you talking about?!" Selthris hissed back as he narrowed his eyes back at her suspiciously. Undeterred by his reception however, she merely glared back at him in her satisfied grin.

"Oh son of Sathryon...," the silver-haired twin chuckled lowly in her grin as she watched him, shaking her head disapprovingly at him before continuing on. "Whatever else could have happened to my comrades?"

Selthris' eyes widened in surprise before he put on his hard scowl once more. "If you're suggesting I enjoy butchering them then-"

This time it was Staciel's turn to hiss and she glowered hatefully at him when she did. "Don't even attempt to lie to me,Selthris!" She growled back at him, tilting her head at him as she did so. "You're an even worse liar than a warrior."

Though he gave a defeated grunt back in reply he could only twitch his scowl back at her in response.

"Don't you see? We're different from those worthless excuses for soldiers out there," the older and seemingly wiser young woman explained briefly as she folded her arms up at him, pacing toward him. "Think about how close you are with any member of that army of yours," she explained briefly and he couldn't help but drop his scowl in place of a shocked frown, eyes widened once more. Satisfied at hitting a bullseye with his reaction, she couldn't help but smirk confidently as she continued. "You don't have to deny your heritage... we were burdened to be this way!"

"W-What...?"

~

"We're not exactly sure when it started... but I was told it began as far back as the Sorcerer's era," Staciel began in explanation as she started to pace around the room, torn robed arms still folded. "They called it the 'Golden Era'."

"Golden Era...," Selthris murmured in repeat as he listened intently. "If I remember myself then..."

"Some of this is taught in history classes; you will definitely recognise it," the Field Marshal claimed boldly as she turned her head half-way to face him before continuing on forward. "Dragons and men both clashed and worked together for two goals. One; to defend the Golden Goddesses' Sacred Realm from pillage..."

"The Sorcerer... of the Divine Divide...?" Selthris murmured this time as he narrowed his eyes at her as she walked on in her explanation.

"And two," she said, this time turning to face him, body leant to the side in her bloody faced scowl. "To steal the very essence of Aegir itself from the Golden Goddesses' own dimension and home."

"Why was this never...?"

"I'm not sure," Staciel merely answered as she turned her head away from him in remembrance. "Perhaps it would have something to do with the fact that... you and I..."

Selthris raised a curious eyebrow upward at her, urging her to continue.

"We are both descended from the twins that attempted takeover of the Sacred Realm." She answered, her hard-edged eyes snapping over at him. He gasped before laughing nervously in response.

"Surely you're...?"

She shook her head at him in dissenting.

Selthris' eyes widened at her in recognition, a memory resurfacing from his encounter with the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide and with the plaque he had saw in their tomb.

Inspired by the rebellion, countless other factions in Dracolius take arms against the Sainted's military. Using the rest of his military force, the Sorcerer manages to quell this uprising though not without many casualties this time, due to the interference of two powerful individuals. Among these casualties are the two twin sons of the Sorcerer, who it would seem led this rebellion.

Widening his eyes in recognition once more, he turned his head back upwards to face the firm glaring Staciel.

"But... then...?"

"That's right," she hissed over, as if angry somehow. "You and I are the cursed descendants of those idiots!" She whispered hatefully as she scowled over at him.

"But that... can't be...?" He asked desperately as he took a step back from her, shook to his core at the revelation.

"Very well then... inheritor."

The Sorcerer's very own words.

Even while he hated the idea of this insane notion being in any sense correct, somehow he knew in the deepest reach of his heart that his older sister was not lying to him.

"B-But even if we are," Selthris began to reason with the young woman before him; she raised a curious silver eyebrow up at him as he took a step forward to frown at her. "We don't have to follow what some book said!" The High Lord hissed lowly as he gestured with his own torn gloves, opting to clench his fingers together as he did so. "Surely we can-"

"You can't fight your genes, Selthris," the former masked general grinned back at him, spitting the trickling blood from the side of her lip as she did so. "Unless...," she began this time, narrowing her eyes at him thoughtfully. He watched her curiously, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Have your feelings changed?" She asked, tilting her head at him before re-folding her arms. "Can you truly join forces with one such as I?"

Selthris stared at her, his hard frown unchanged. His mind quickly processed the possibility of sparing her (or indeed, himself) but every time he did he couldn't help but despising the idea of his enemy living. He now understood why she killed their father...

… but he did not fully grasp why she wanted to join forces.

"I hate you," Selthris finally admitted in his response, twitching his growing scowl as he did. Staciel seemingly couldn't help but chuckle lightly as she listened. "But I need to know one thing first."

"Name it."

"If you also hate me...," the High Lord began lowly before continuing on with a swift narrow of his eyes. "Then why do you need me so much?"

Staciel stared back at him wordlessly for a few seconds before tilting her head lightly. "There's a man... you may remember him from your travels in Etherthien."

"How do you know about...?"

"Everyone in Naerith knew about your exploits over there," she answered deftly, her voice carrying a tinge of annoyance in it. Selthris looked away, opting to allow her to continue with her reasoning. "There was a man leading the Etherthien rebellion down there, in the mountains," she began again. "Without him they would easily have fallen not just to your forces but to King Alaric's."

Selthris' mind quickly returned to his adventure through the cold country of Etherthien.

Who was she talking about, he thought.

It couldn't be the leader, surely?

"Not Gallarus, surely?" He voiced his doubts with a curious raise of his eyebrow.

"No, not that idiot," she growled back in response as she turned to pace the room once more; an old habit it seemed. She walked around one of the pillars they had destroyed in their previous engagement. "Without a strategist – and a good one at that – he would have easily fallen."

Selthris' burning black eyes lowered in temporary thought before slowly shaking his head in quiet dissenting. "I don't remember any-"

"Do you know anything about father's history?" She called behind her, facing the wall ahead of her. Selthris merely blinked at her. "Do you know the story of the man that killed him?"

"The man that... killed him...?"

A sudden memory with his allies flashed in his mind, as if called to the surface of his conscious. He gasped in remembrance, the words coming back to him.

"This person didn't just challenge Lord Sathryon; he reportedly defeated him in single combat and killed him himself."

"When Lord Sathryon told me this, he told me he had met with one told in our history books, one people theorise to be a mere fairy tale; The One."

"Yes!" Selthris suddenly exclaimed; the folded armed Field Marshal ahead of him snapped her head half-way 'round, eyes glaring in response. "Yes I... I remember, I think."

"No-one knew his name, his true name I mean," Staciel finally replied as she turned her silvery-haired head back to face the wall before her. "But I believe I know him."

Selthris raised a curious eyebrow up in response. "And who-?"

"The only name I know him by...," she began before begrudgingly turning around to face him, lowering her folded arms as she did so, placing one on her hip. "Is Cadil Agares."

"Cadil...?" Selthris mouthed back in response, shaking his head lightly. Try as he might he could not recount the name in his memory banks.

"He is considerably strong, little brother," Staciel spoke in a low toned hiss, glaring forward as she did so. "If you or I were to try him one by one we would surely perish."

Selthris opted to remain silent this time and frowned back at her, listening intently as he usually did.

"But if we were to join forces...," she began this time, outstretching her limp right arm and hand, as if to be taken. Selthris' burning eyes narrowed at it suspiciously, darting back up to face her. "There is no telling what we could accomplish; we are the last surviving spawn of Sathryon Vikeruce...!" She hissed again, this time in a show of urgency. Selthris stared back at her voicelessly for a second or two in deliberate consideration before, finally, opening his mouth to reply.

"What of Aselia? And Naerith?" He blurted out in response; her eyes widened, as if surprised by his query. "What about my comrades?"

The pair stared at one another and it was Staciel's turn to remain eerily silent before she finally and gradually hovered her arm back down to its original limping position at her side.

Clearly her answer was given.

"Aselia and Naerith can burn for all I care," she grunted back in response, her eyes narrowing with each word in clear hatred. "Let's be honest, little brother," she called over quietly. "Who really in that ragtag group can you say you trust?"

Selthris' mind immediately hovered to his ever grinning companion, Leo. And though he was ready to answer, she continued on.

"The only person that you can truly rely on... is yourself," the Field Marshal claimed. Selthris' own scowl twitched but he lowered his blackened eyes in defeating agreement. "I'm not asking for sibling camaraderie," she clarified, calling his eyes back up to frown at her. "I'm asking for an only comrade to fight against our clan's fate."

Selthris stared at her for a single second before retorting. "Our fate, huh," he repeated in recognition, narrowing his eyes in hers. "You mean...?"

"Of course I do," she answered just as quickly, taking a step forward to outstretch her hand once more. "All throughout history, the Abominable Twins have always been at odds," she explained briefly. "We have turned on each other for one reason or another... but this is our chance,Selthris," the young woman claimed as she glared back at him in spite of her inviting tone. "We could break the cycle!" She hissed onwards as she leaned her body forward with her outstretched arm. When she saw the wordless and hate-filled glare she was responded with, she opted for a different approach. "You have undoubtedly grown stronger; much stronger since our childhood," she began before putting on a low glare of her own. "Perhaps even stronger than myself..."

Selthris couldn't help but grow the tiniest of smiles, though, not in joy.

"I won't drop everything I've fought for up until this point," he finally answered however, his firm frown reasserting his intentions. His blazing eyes fixated on her with a fierce hunger to match his loathing expression. "You murdered my father...," he began again before scowling horribly. "And now you're gonna pay."

Staciel stared back at him for around half a second or two before finally opting to hover her arm back down for the second time. Seemingly unable to convince her opponent and seeming mortal enemy, she instead chose to unsheathe her sword, pointing it at the youth before her.

"I had hoped we could reason this out...," she began begrudgingly before scowling back at the lowering form of her opponent. "But if this is the way fate is to be... then come at me," the Field Marshal began again before widening her eyes angrily at him. "Son of Sathryon!"

–-

3

This time she began in earnest; with no mask to block her vision her strength and skill was seemingly increased. Selthris grunted as he blocked her series of swipes and slashes, his own speed and fortitude heightened with the use of his light transformation. Though he managed to successfully block each one of them, he found himself losing space, quickly being cornered. Thinking unusually quickly, the shrouded youth growled before widening his own eyes and yelling as he expelled forth a small amount of his Quintessence.

Staciel gasped and she shut a single eye in effort as she was sent skidding backward; Selthris deftly pursued her retreating form with a leap to his right, suddenly disappearing from the common eye. Coating his right boot in black lightning his roar of effort was magnified by the walls of the throne room they fought in; he sent his Aegir coated leg in a diagonal swipe. Staciel snapped her scowling face 'round to face him, spinning in a roundhouse kick of her own to block the attack. Unfortunately for her, however, the ebony lightning encased in his leg and his body managed to scorch the yelping young woman; she swore loudly to give voice to her pain, sent spinning in place.

"What is that Aegir?!" The Field Marshal merely managed out in her pained scowl before she widened her eyes once more at the sight waiting for her. The similarly scowling Selthris sent his scorching fist rocketing toward her solar plexus, obviously intended to kill. Staciel glared hatefully back at him before readying her free left hand, coursing her own Aegir through it in preparation.

CLASH

The throne room erupted in a shaking and echoing smash; Selthris' black lightning mixing with the former Masked Man's white lightning. The pair stayed like that for a few seconds that seemed to almost pass like minutes, glaring similarly cruelly at one another before, finally another massive explosion caused by the intensity of their Quintessence caused them to both retreat involuntarily.

"Argh!" Staciel called out in further pain as not only her opponent's, but her own attack, managed to double-edge on her; she growled as she used her Aegir to back-flip in mid-air and skid across the destroyed tiled ground below her. As she spat out yet more blood trickling at the side of her mouth, Selthris seemed to be in a similar state; he also back-flipped to recover, a lighter wound on his similarly scorched left arm and face. However, unlike her, he grunted as he leapt to his left mid-recovery. Staciel's eyes widened in shock but she quickly managed to follow his incredibly fast movement speed; tracing his sprint across the very walls of the castle.

Though he seemed to approach her from her right, specifically from the wall, her eyes widened as he finally cannoned towards her, swiftly disappearing.

An after-image?

"No!" She exclaimed, snapping her head to her left.

But it was far too late.

Selthris' hate-filled yell was all she needed to confirm her opponent's feint attack; he roared along with her own worried yelp, crashing his black encased fist into her face. Time seemed to slow down for the pair; she stared back hatefully at him through his blazing fist while he instead glowered back, teeth grit viciously in a show of obvious desperation. When time finally regained its true flow, Staciel could only grunt in the great pain she received from her enemy's well-founded strike and she was sent rocketing toward the very wall she thought he was attacking from.

A high pitched whistle accompanied her sailing form before it finally ended with a loud and cacophonous crash, bringing fallen stone and boulders above. Though he had successfully struck her, Selthris smashed his hands together in yet another praying motion, as if to gain further Aegir from the rest of his one-time reserves. To answer his ferocious attack, the wall she was sent sailing into suddenly showered upwards in an incredible show of fireworks. Staciel accompanied the flying boulders, stone and Aegir cloak with an effort-filled yell, her voice bouncing off the walls of the room.

Selthris could only let out a half-amused, half-disappointed low grin from the left side of his mouth as he watched her, his feelings mixed at seeing her live through his Aegir infused strike. Finally, her charging ended and the bleeding and bruised faced youth grunted as she shot forward in an obvious but lightning fast blitz. The unmasked elder of Aselia let out a hateful roar as she sent her sword slamming into her grunting opponent's own. Their strength was so incredibly high that, as a result, their weapons were sent spinning in the air away from them, landing on the ground harmlessly. Selthris and Staciel exclaimed a similar grunt as they staggered backwards from their attacks, glaring at one another wordlessly as they did.

This time however, as Staciel levitated in mid-air she sent her boot back, clearly ready for an assault. Selthris' eyes narrowed at it and readied himself; as she inevitably dove for him in a deft downward kick, he shot his body to his right to swiftly evade the woman's strike. She skid across the ground and promptly leapt to her rear to evade Selthris' black lightning dive-kick of his own. Selthris growled in effort as he caught himself with a left arm aimed toward the ground, spitting out blood as quickly as he could in preparation. Finally however she re-appeared in front of him and she let out a hated yell of effort as she rushed him, her right arm encased in sparking white lightning.

Widening his blazing black eyes, Selthris enveloped his own right arm in his Aegir shrouded aura before leaping to meet her attack with his own. Uncaring for the seeming consequences, Selthris instead met his older sibling with his final ditch effort. The pair exchanged a similarly scowling glare before finally colliding with their last assaults.

SMASH

~

Apart from the sound of their chirping electricity, the pair's sudden halted movement caused an eerie silence. Selthris gasped as he stood extremely close to his older sister, coughing out suddenly to break the tension; blood fell from a wound he could not see and though he lowered his hard-edged eyes downward, he saw his own blackened fist protruding from her back and chest. His eyes still widened he turned them directly downward to find her own clenched arm impaled through his further torn chest. He heard her cough in a seemingly amused chuckle, blood also dropping to the ground from her assault.

"I-Impressive...," she could only manage out in her low, mirthless chuckle, bloodstained face and all. She put on a similarly flat grin as she continued before the pair, seemingly like-minded, both yanked their fists from their pained bodies together simultaneously. Selthris managed to stay on his feet for a few seconds, long enough to watch the blood-encased young woman grin over at him before re-opening her blood-soaked mouth. "Just... like... Sathryon..." She managed out in another cough infused laugh before she finally dropped harmlessly to the ground face up.

Selthris' blackened eyes soon began to fizzle out and return to their normal silvery colour; his Aegir cloak seemingly assenting with his eyes, his one-time-use power finally run its course. He also dropped but only to his knees; the youth could only gasp as he breathed heavily for a second before suddenly coughing violently and dropping further down; he used his hands to grasp the ground below him as he coughed out yet more blood. He could vaguely hear the sound of her laughing in spite of her grievous wound ahead of him and he raised his scowling face upwards before slowly attempting to crawl forward to her left side.

The silvery-haired young woman turned her bruised, battered and bloodied body to face him in her light grin. "You've... grown stronger than even I have...," she grinned up at him; he stared back in his low scowl, breathing heavily from his life-threatening wound. "I c-commend you..." The fallen Field Marshal stammered out in her low chuckle, her body now limp.

Though he did not intend them, he found tears stinging at both his eyes and he widened them, shocked at his influx of emotions.

Why, he thought?

My father's murderer is finally dying, I should be happy, he thought to himself in further confusion.

"I...," he began out in mid-stammer as he hovered over her, his attempt at scowling failing in place of the wincing tears he involuntarily let fall from his eyes. "I hate you," the High Lord managed out in his cracking voice. "So much."

"I know," the fallen Field Marshal replied, a low knowing chuckle in her tone. She couldn't help but smile up at him as she watched him hover over her; the older sibling reached up with her scorched left arm and gently stroked at the tears on his cheek. "Maybe... in another life we could have been closer." She admitted, in spite of their earlier mood toward one another.

Selthris' eyes widened very briefly and, as he felt it coming, scrunched his tear-stricken eyes shut and snapped his head to the side before coughing violently.

More blood.

He was definitely finished; her attack had pierced his defences, just as much as his had hers.

Losing whatever strength remained in the rest of his young body, Selthris let out a single grunt as he dropped in a pained roll to his right, his bloody silvery head landing next to hers. The pair could only exchange gory gasps of blood and agony together as they both stared up at the castle ceiling above them.

"Selthris," he heard her call him from his side. Though he could not move his body, his eyes flitted up in her direction and he quietly listened to what could be her very last words. "If you... live through this...," her voice began raggedly; he couldn't help but cough in some attempt to laugh at her optimism. "T-Then... you must...," she started again, her voice stuttering through the wound she was given. She coughed as violently as he did; a clear sign of her near death status. "You cannot... let yourself f-fall to our clan's... sordid..."

Her breathing became more and more laboured and though Selthris wasn't long behind her, his curiosity grew and his eyes snapped in her direction; unable to do much of anything else. He waited for her to continue but when he heard her let out a seemingly final sigh, her breathing halted with it.

"I finally did it...," the youth whispered up at the ceiling, his breathing becoming similarly harder to control and his eyesight growing blurry with this revelation. "So why don't I feel...," he began lowly as he breathed in and out, his eyelids growing heavy. "Satisfied...?" He asked himself in an eventual exhale, his watery stained eyes closing as a result of his tired pain.

A sad kind of silence descended upon the throne room chamber of Naesbray Castle, leaving the pair of Vikeruce twins to their sorrowful end.


	22. Epilogue: To Forge Onwards

Epilogue: To Forge Onwards  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.

Featured Music: "Emotional End" - Stephen King's IT OST (1990). Chapter Briefing and Scene 1.

\--

In his victory at Naesbray Castle, Selthris exchanged his final attempt at an ending at his year-long odyssey and finds himself impaled, much like his opponent. Even in spite of his revelation that the Masked Man was none other than his elder sister, he still found his resolve to pay her back in full for what she did to him and the rest of his family.

Just as his father had cryptically warned him in his letter however, he finds himself at death's door, in spite of his use of the fabled Aegir power that the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide himself left for him.

In the end, the rest of the Aselian and Etherthien force can only do what they can as they pick up the pieces of the otherwise successful campaign...

\--

Scene 1

"Hope these'll be all right for her." Leo asked, seemingly no-one in particular as he held a bunch of basic flowers in his arms, frowning down at the grave he stared at.

Staciel Vikeruce

Beloved elder sister and heir

Year: 689-706

"Yeah," a voice agreed with him, pulling the Mercenary's eyes over to his left. A similarly hard-frowning Selthris stood next to him, supported by the weight of the crutches he held in both arms. "Yeah; they're nice." The younger boy nodded in a wan smile as he beheld the flowers in his companion's grip, regaining his scarred frown as he faced the grave his elder sister was placed into. Leo bent down to place the flowers at the grave itself before swiftly standing back up to place his hands in his pockets.

"No-one else knew... did they?" The Mercenary asked as he turned his eyes over to face the youth next to him.

"No," Selthris answered in kind, shaking his head lightly as he did so. "I don't think I wanted them to know," he elaborated on very briefly as he frowned down at the deceased young woman's grave. "I can still barely believe it myself, to be honest."

"Mm," Leo hummed in quiet agreement as he nodded; raising his head however, he took his close friend's body language and followed next to him as they walked towards the exit of the graveyard. "I still feel like we're missing something."

"You mean Naerith's king... don't you?"

The Mercenary merely nodded as he turned his face to confront the similarly frowning Selthris. The now demoted High Lord sighed as he shook his head in response.

"I don't think even we know anything about this," he answered as he placed the crutches in front of his bandaged body to assist him in walking. "Don't you remember?"

"Yeah, I do," Leo nodded in assenting, his own frown on his face as they walked through the exit into the entrance of the main town. "I remember being told that the war was over after I found you slumped over like that."

Selthris' tired silver eyes lowered in silent remembrance; lying next to his dying sister, a similar wound through his open bloody chest.

If it wasn't for Leo he would have died alongside her that day.

Even as the pair walked through the entrance to the bustling Aselia castle town, whatever peasant they encountered couldn't help but bow in respect to their lord and superior. Their minds focused on the unanswered question that niggled at both their heads, they could not even face the others around them.

"Oh well," Leo added in a low chuckle, his eyes staring at the ground below him before re-raising to face his closest companion on his right. "At least things ended well with Etherthien."

"Mm, yeah," Selthris agreed in his own tired and low tone, nodding as he did so. "King Alaric was good to us."

"He was," Leo nodded in further assent, his hands still resting comfortably in his pockets. "He didn't even get annoyed with you when you dropped your lord-ship."

Selthris winced in remembrance this time. "That... could have been handled better."

"Oh you mean Tina, don't you," Leo laughed aloud boisterously, eliciting a tinge of annoyance from the listening youth. "Yeah she was not a fan of you that day."

"I wonder how she's getting on," Selthris murmured out as he turned his head to watch hagglers speak to the newly re-introduced merchants in castle town. "Probably better on her own I imagine."

"You think it's best?" Leo asked, tilting his head in the youth's direction. His frown twitched lightly as he listened to the wiser male before nodding in response.

"Yeah, I do," he answered in his nod. Another pair of peasants bent down to bow respectfully for the two close friends; Leo saluted socially at them with a genuine smile while his companion merely forced a smile of his own, nodding at them before continuing on. "The way I was during that war... I'm surprised anyone was even interested." The former High Lord couldn't help but manage out with a low chuckle, shaking his head as he used his crutches to move along forward. Leo smiled genuinely along with his close companion for a few seconds before regaining his concerned frown, eyes moving to the ground as it did.

"I'm happy I found you both, that day," Leo suddenly admitted as they trudged on through castle town. Selthris raised a curious eyebrow as he hobbled along with his best friend, initially unsure at the tone of his words. "It's just a shame I couldn't..." He trailed off, as if doubtful himself.

"It's... fine," the younger man shook his head dismissively next to him, a frown on his own face. Leo turned to face him. "I don't think either one of us could be saved," he admitted before turning his gaze skyward, as if thinking of his elder sister. They stopped marching for a few seconds while he finished his thoughts; Leo folded his arms as he turned to face him, listening. "I was just as bad as she was, looking back," he claimed boldly, his silvery eyes narrowing up at the sky-blue above. He couldn't help but chuckling as he shook his head, lowering it with shut eyes. "I was a bad person... but... maybe I can change that."

Leo couldn't help but put on a low grin, his hands still resting in his pockets. "We can always change," the Mercenary admonished lightly. Selthris raised up his eyes to frown back at his companion. "And we've got all the time in the world to do it with."

Selthris' own face broke out into a light grin of his own as he faced him, nodding wordlessly in recognition. Seemingly satisfied with his response, Leo nudged his head behind his current position; toward Aselia castle itself.

"You take all the time you need Sel," the young sociable man smiled over at him, nodding his head upwards at him. "I'll meet you-?"

"Back at the castle; yeah," Selthris answered in an unusually genuine smile of his own. "Thanks Leo."

With a final nod, the youth turned on his heel to walk through the city by himself, leaving the younger youth on his own. Selthris' smile slowly faded as he watched him similarly vanish from view, his thoughts quickly returning to the war not long ago.

He couldn't answer some of the questions still floating around in his head and it niggled at his conscious to no end. King Alpheus' sudden disappearance after his strange communication issues with his military. Staciel's unusual comments about it and their clan's past.

Her words about their father's true enemy.

His eyes stared hard at the ground in deep thought, remembering a single name on her lips.

"Cadil."

Even as he thought that simple name, a shudder ran up his back, not unlike the old fear he had gained through his youth.

Sighing through his nose and shaking his head of his silly thoughts however, used his crutches to carry him forward after his close companion. He couldn't help but let a small smile break out over his face as he thought not only of him but of the rest of his unit.

He did have more friends than he realised.

He just didn't want to at the time.

His smile never left him as he hobbled along the streets of Aselia castle town.


End file.
